Onimusha: The Return
by Rhaza3517
Summary: The Teen Titans fought hard. The Justice League led the charge. 'The Team' fought behind the shadows against the Light and its minions. Now, they will all bear witness as new evils arise before them, while a powerful warrior of legend joins their fight. He serves those beyond the veil, yet lives for humanity. He is the Demon Warrior, the Black Oni reborn again... the Onimusha.
1. Chapter 1

Greetings, one and all. Yes, another disclaimer for you all. I in no way, shape, or form, own anything about Onimusha (Capcom does!) or DC Comics (duh!) This, I hope, is the fan-fic that really gets me going in my writing again. Enjoy!

(''): Mental thoughts

(""): Oni Council discussions

* * *

Onimusha: The Return

... Prologue ...

_The year 1598, a few weeks after the defeat of the Genma in feudal Japan..._

... Darkness...

The hidden location was totally pitch black to the naked eye, as it had been when it was first constructed so many millenia ago to house its occupants. Then, one by one, glowing purple lights began to appear in a perfect circle. When the twelfth and final sphere of light had appeared, a chorus of voices all sounded out one phrase to each light there.

("GREETINGS, HONORED MEMBERS OF THE ONI.")

The voices present, as well as the glowing purple lights, were the spiritual energies of the mythical Oni Council: a saintly order of ancient, supernatural demi-humans who sought to protect humanity from the terrible Genma, who preyed upon humanity and wished to devour them, both figuratively and spiritually. The unnamed members of the Council were the twelve Oni gods, the most powerful of their tribe from primordial times, who had long ago shed their mortal shells to exist as pure spiritual energy.

In doing this, the twelve Oni gods could continue their duty of protecting Earth from harm, especially from the forces of the hated demonic Genma, and guiding the human race away from destruction. Now, after so many long centuries of bloodshed and war, the chosen champions of the Oni - the Onimusha, literally the 'Demon Warrior' - and the return of the mighty 'Black Oni,' the reincarnation of their God of Darkness in a mortal shell, had again sealed away the Genma's God of Light after a titanic battle.

With the Omen Star, the prison formed to hold the Genma's deity, returned to its hidden place in the heavens once more, the Oni Council had convened once again, to take stock of the repercussions of all the death and destruction that had come to pass due to their war with the Genma, and humanity's oppression along the way. One of the purple lights began to pulsate, sounding out its words to its fellow Oni brethren.

("My brethren, there is much to discuss. As is my duty, I speak first upon the matter of the Genma.") Another voice answered the first.

("Speak; tell us of what you have seen.") The first voice complied.

("Fortinbras, the Genma God of Light, still lives.") Voices murmured in the background at that statement, only to be answered again by the first speaker. ("That being said, his power has been vastly sundered from his being defeated, and sealed away once more, by the Black Oni.")

Before their eyes, a white globe appeared, showing the fierce final battle between the reborn and freed Fortinbras, Soki - the reincarnated Black Oni - and his allies as they finally stopped the God of Light, ending with Soki's decision to sacrifice his life to seal away Fortinbras. As his allies went their separate ways, the Oni gods went on with their discussion of what was to come.

("Continue.") The second voice spoke up.

("The Genma God of Light can no longer manifest himself here in this dimension, my brethren, nor does he have any more followers who could try to release him from his prison.") At those words from the first voice, a third voice, distinctly female, sounded out in the darkness.

("What of our own time-space continuum? Are we still safe from the distortions wrought by Fortinbras' machinations?") As the other voices spoke in hushed tones about that fact in the background, the first voice answered them.

("We are safe.") The voice replied. ("However, a particular instance in the future of this world has been directly affected, my brethren, and not for the best. Observe.")

The white sphere changed again, showing a vast city of the future, on distant shores, and populated by millions of humans. Then, the scene changed to the skyline, showing three distinct beings standing atop one of the tallest buildings.

XXXXXX

The first one, a powerfully built male, was actually hovering above the rooftop, his crimson red cape flapping in the wind behind him, while a triangular shield adorned his blue-clothed chest, with a stylized 'S' at its center. His eyes and ears seemed to survey the entire city below him, and although he exuded great strength, the compassion flowing off his very soul was just as powerful.

The second person, a beautiful woman with features that any goddess would be jealous off, was also hovering off the ground, clad in a swimsuit-type armor, silver bracelets on her wrists, a tiara on her head, a shimmering golden lasso on her hip, and a sword and shield on her back. The waves of divine energy that her aura possessed also spoke volumes about how special, and important, she was to the world.

The third and final person, another well-built male, was dressed all in black, and his outfit was tailored to look like a demonic bat from hell. A belt with multiple pouches encircled his waist, and the emblem of his namesake was emblazoned on his chest, much like the floating male. His white eyes narrowed as they took in the city, making the force of his intense will palpable to the senses of the Oni Council. This one fought the darkness around him, while using it to intimidate any who dared cross him.

As the Oni Council looked at the images of the trio of beings before them, the first voice spoke up again.

("These three warriors of humanity - this 'Trinity' - will be the greatest protectors of the human race, come four hundred years from the date that Fortinbras was resealed within the Omen Star by the Black Oni.") The first voice spoke. ("And yet, only one of them is truly human: the one shrouded in black.")

("Only HE is human?") A fourth voice chimed in. The first one spoke again.

("The woman is a creation of the gods of ancient Greece, an answered prayer from a tribe of warrior-women wronged by cruel men of the past, and her own mother, who could not bear a child of her own. She is their messenger, preparing to invite her tribe back into the world's events, while showing people a better way to exist.") The Oni gods 'nodded' at one another as the first voice kept on speaking.

("The male who bears the 'S' shield on his chest is one of the last known survivors of an advanced, benevolent, yet humanoid race of aliens, whose planet was lost long ago, along with almost every member of their race.") The Oni Council murmured at that revelation. ("Earth shall become his adopted home, and the humans who will raise him here shall instill in him virtues that will guide him to use his vast power to protect them all, and his adopted home, from any and all enemies who seek its enslavement or its destruction.")

("And the human?") A fifth voice spoke up. ("He wields the skills of ninja masters, from what I can see, and more.")

("Intelligence, peerless reasoning, and an indomitable will, driven by a tragedy that took away what should have been a loving childhood.") The first voice replied. ("Although he has no 'powers' to speak of, it is his influence and strategic skill that aids many of the world's heroes in their endeavors.")

("If this future is the one that we must aid, where the Genma can possibly return, and the dark energies left by their passing and Fortinbras' return can cause further destruction, then we must once more take steps to ensure our presence there.") A sixth voice stated to its brethren. ("Are the three we have chosen to work in this journey ready?")

("They are ready.") The first voice said, only to be followed by the second.

("Why this time, my brethren?") The others 'listened' to its words. ("Why has this place in time become so important?")

("Because, my brethren...") The first voice spoke up again. ("... it is the next era in which the Black Oni will return once more to stand against the Genma, and many other evils who once more desire to take this world for their own.")

The Oni Council collectively gasped. Their savior - their legendary God of Darkness, clad in the shell of a mortal being, and wielding the furious might of a true god of war - would return again. The first voice continued on as the Council composed itself after that revelation.

("Due to the strains upon the time-space continuum from Fortinbras' resurrection, our agents have found that the essence of the Oni of the Ash, - Soki, he who became the Black Oni - will find its way into a family with ancient Oni ancestry... and a long-hidden Oni noblewoman, who will be the mother of the next Black Oni.") The Council 'hummed' in response of that statement.

("He shall come unto us once more?") The third voice stated.

("The unfettered power of the Black Oni is unbound by time and space, my brethren. Not even Fortinbras himself is able to fully comprehend it. IT chooses when its power is needed to protect both our remaining people, and the human race.") The first one said, as its 'gaze' peered upon the white sphere, seeing a shadowy image within it.

The shadowy reincarnation of the Black Oni stood tall, bearing the well-remembered Oni Gauntlet on one arm, and with the emblem of the Oni seared into the hand its metal length covered. Also, on its left wrist, was the Oni Whip, once given to a future ally of the Onimusha when the time stream had been distorted by the Genma, and another human had chosen to fight for the Oni, and his own future.

Then, finally, the Oni Council saw the familiar shimmering white hair flash into being as the Black Oni channeled his powers, invoking his greatest Onimusha transformation, which now bore FOUR arms! The two upper arms held the weapons of the Gauntlet and the Whip, while one of the lower ones focused the summoned weapons within the Oni mark on its hand, while the remaining one had altered itself into the Oni Beam Cannon wielded by the Onimusha descendant of the fallen lady Oni, Takajo.

As Soki had been before him, this unrevealed being truly stood as the Black Oni, the God of Darkness returned to defend the human race, and the world, from evil. The Oni Council all 'nodded' in approval.

XXXXXX

("Magnificent...") ("Incredible...") ("Astounding...") were the words they spoke, followed by the first voice once more.

("So, it is decided?") A powerful hum sounded out, unanimous in its tone. ("Very well; we shall dispatch our three selected warriors to a point in time where they will collect the necessary resources to aid the Black Oni's return.")

("When shall this be?") The third voice spoke.

("Some time before the Black Oni reveals himself to these heroes, an invasion of the planet, alien in its origin, will be defeated and turned back.") The first voice stated, even as an image of three alien vessels appeared in the black of space. ("Although this is the second one in less than five years in that time period, it is the most prominent, and most easily used to aid our efforts.")

("Agreed.") They sounded as one.

("Our three chosen agents shall assault and take over these three alien vessels, each in succession, and transform them with our own technology into locations that the Black Oni will need, and transportation methods.") The first voice stated.

("When the time is right, the Black Oni himself will reach within his own being, and summon the Gauntlet, the Whip, and his own Oni powers to his side. Then, we shall know his name. Until that time, we shall remain hidden, as always, within the time stream.") The third voice replied.

("Agreed.") The Council replied.

("Now, then...") The second voice spoke. ("... summon our agents, give them their orders, and send them forth.")

Another powerful hum filled the air, and in a flash of light, three demi-human forms appeared before the Oni Council! One of them was the reborn Marcellus, the legendary Oni warrior who last held the sacred 'Arashi' Wind Orb before Samanosuke Akechi took it from his reanimated body, courtesy of the hated Genma scientists. Standing tall and strong once more, he immediately kneeled before the twelve lights.

The second, surprisingly, was the Genma swordsman Gogandantess. He had been the most difficult of opponents for Takajo's son to face, before the Genma Lord himself, but also the most honorable in their duels, even saving one of the Oni descendants from harm before their final battle. Upon his death, where his honor and respect was revealed, the Oni Gods resurrected him in a form identical to what he once was, but now ready to serve the Oni.

Stabbing his two-handed sword into the ground, Gogandantess also quickly kneeled before the Council. He then looked over at the last member of their trio. The third of the demi-humans remained standing for a moment, gazing down at the mystical bindings on his wrists. He was the Oni traitor Gargant, who had sided with Nobunaga to bring the world under the rule of the Genma, and the murderer of the valiant _kuniochi_ Kaede, one of the allies of the first Onimusha: Samanosuke Akechi himself.

The bearer of the Oni Gauntlet had tracked him down, destroying the vast Genma fleet traveling with Gargant before finally slaying Gargant with the power of his Onimusha form, avenging his lost ally. A minute later, Gargant sighed, and finally joined the others in kneeling before the Council. Marcellus spoke first to the twelve lights.

"You have summoned us, and we have come." The deep baritone of the Oni warrior filled the room. "Command us; we are your humble servants." Although Gargant growled under his breath, he nodded at Marcellus' words. Gogandantess placed his hand over his chest, acknowledging his agreement as well.

("The task standing before you three shall be no easy one, warriors.") The Council sounded out as one, before the fourth voice manipulated the white sphere in the center of the circle of the purple lights.

The sphere changed its surface, showing them an image of two smaller space-faring vessels, slowing following a much larger one. ("These futuristic ships you see are part of the remaining invasion force from the alien race known as the Reach. The heroes of the future we have viewed stopped their devious advance, defeated them, and drove them away from the Earth.") The three nodded, which prompted Marcellus to speak.

"Truly commendable for the heroes, honored Council." The purple lights hummed at the words of the reborn Oni general. "Now, however, knowing what will come to this world shortly after this, what is your will?" The Council hummed again as the first voice again spoke to the three warriors.

("You three will travel through the time conduit, and commandeer these vessels with both subterfuge and force, for they contain the most bloodthirsty of the invaders who wished to enslave the planet. Then, we will make use of their plundered resources to prepare the way for the return of the Black Oni...") The first voice clearly stated, before it was interrupted.

"A child's errand." Gargant grumbled sourly, only for Marcellus to growl even louder at his brethren's words.

"Mind your tone, Gargant; remember well who it is to whom you speak." Marcellus said, briefly resting his hand on his massive broadsword to enforce his tone.

"Your defeat at the hands of the Onimusha is irrelevant here. Gogandantess has acknowledged this fact already... and so will YOU. Am I clear?" Marcellus' tone left no room for argument.

It took a moment for Gargant to reply to that threat, but he did. "Understood. My fate is in the hands of the Council,... as it has always been." Gargant's words seemed hollow, but he knew better than to try and cause a scene. So long as the Oni Binders laced his wrists, he could not summon his personal blade or his powers, not without the express permission of either Marcellus or Gogandantess.

It still burned Gargant that one human had defeated him when he had turned against the Oni and served the Genma Lord Nobunaga. Now, to be under the command of a fallen, but redeemed Genma swordsman, and the reborn Oni General of legend, his teeth were ready to grind together into powder. Still, the Oni Council had chosen to call him back from the great beyond to serve them once more, now that the Black Oni's return had been foretold yet again to them all. They needed each other, without a doubt.

XXXXXX

"When shall we begin, honored Council?" Gogandantess spoke up. Even though the pitch of his voice was slightly off due to his rebirth, his meaning was honorable. Ever since his defeat, the kind words of the Onimusha warrior who had beaten him had given him solace, and were eventually the reason the Oni Council recalled his soul from the great void to join their ranks.

Now, with the Council's blessing, Gogandantess could aid them in their efforts to protect the time stream and humanity's future. These 'Reach' were not humans, and they had tried to invade and conquer the planet. The Oni Council had no problem giving the three warriors the go-ahead to strike at the scheming aliens, and end their existence before they could cause any more harm elsewhere.

("Our time conduit shall place Marcellus upon one of the smaller vessels first, to act as a distraction, while Gogandantess and Gargant shall assault the larger vessel.") The first voice of the Oni Council spoke. ("You shall be given infiltration magics that will prevent the vessels from both escaping deeper into space, or summoning more allies, as well as disabling their space drives and inner defenses.")

"How strong are they, honored Council?" Gogandantess asked, ready to hear what kind of enemies they would be facing. The second voice of the Council seemed to chuckle at his inquiry.

("Eager as ever for battle, eh, Gogandantess?") The others all agreed at the assessment of the reborn Genma swordsman. ("See for yourself.")

The white sphere at the center of the room changed once more. The images of the Reach played forth, showing the three warriors the power of the insect-like armors, their deadly weapons, combat skills, and sheer numbers. Even Gargant began to smirk at seeing all of that before him; it was going to be one hell of a battle, exactly what he needed to vent his frustrations at his current state.

("The time conduit will place you all at your locations as the aliens flee from capture at the hands of the heroes, and before the ancients called the Guardians of the Universe can pass judgment on them.") The first voice responded to their unspoken thoughts, the sphere showing the ships just passing beyond the edge of the solar system.

"That area they're passing through is fraught with communication interference, even for their advanced systems." Marcellus commented. "It shall make our actions all the more effective, but we shall not underestimate them. Your magical shield will protect you, of course, Gogandantess, but Gargant will have to fend for himself... something that I think he will not mind in the slightest." Gargant smirked again.

"I will do what I've been sent to do, Marcellus..." Gargant replied. "... but yes, I shall indeed enjoy the fighting to come. Let us see just how powerful these 'Reach' are, when the battlefield is even, and they face warriors ready to end them." The Council again hummed as one.

("The decision is made. The conduit shall be made ready, and you all shall leave for this mission post haste.") The second voice stated. ("Once it is completed, and the vessels are in our control, the next phase shall begin.") At that, the three Oni warriors bowed their heads in acceptance, and then vanished from sight.

("It is done.") The Council said as one, before vanishing into thin air.

XXXXXX

_Sol System, outer orbit - four hundred years later..._

"What in the holy cosmos is keeping us from going to translight speeds!?" A Reach commander bellowed over the intercom to his ship's engine room. It was bad enough that the invasion of Earth had been turned away by its so-called heroes, not to mention that their trump card of trying to destroy the planet had also failed.

They were now trying to escape from the system before any more Green Lanterns or any of the Guardians appeared to capture them, but their engineers had begun reporting fluctuations left and right with their propulsion systems. They could only proceed at sublight speeds, as did their escort carriers nearby, and that meant a bigger chance of capture to them all.

"Sir, I beg forgiveness..." The Reach engineer responded. "... but we have done every thing possible to restore full function to the main drives. Something about these region of space is the cause of our problem, and until we clear it, we MUST proceed at sublight speeds to ensure our survival."

"Make all haste to clear our vessels from this region." The Reach commander barked, only to receive a screech of static in response. "Bridge to Engine Room, report! Report, curse you!" The only word that came through the static a moment later shook the commander to his bones.

"INVADERS!"

XXXXXX

Back in the engine room of the lead cruiser, that shout was the only word that the engineer was able to blurt out before the two-handed blade of Gogandantess pierced clean through his armor, ending him before Gargant leaped over him, slamming his feet into three armored warriors nearby! With them stunned, Gargant looked over at the reborn Genma-turned-Oni.

"Well!?" Gargant yelled, holding up his still-bound hands. Gogandantess smirked back at him as he took a purple orb with a red stripe on it from his belt, and smashed it into the console, dispersing the infiltration magics into the ship's systems.

"You know the rules, Gargant!" Gogandantess yelled back, even as he hurled a energy-charged dagger over Gargant's head, and into the eye of a Reach warrior lurking nearby. The alien screeched in agony as the Genma swordsman looked on at his handiwork. "Still waiting!"

"By the gods, all right!" Gargant shouted back. "I shall obey my oath! No harm shall come to you or Marcellus by my hand, or the Council shall return me to the void!" With that, the twin bindings on Gargant's arms glowed in response, while Gogandantess tapped another opaque sphere on his belt. A moment later, the band receded into twin brands on Gargant's arms, and the Oni betrayer felt his powers instantly return to him.

"Finally!" Gargant yelled, opening up his hand, which summoned forth a burst of light, followed by the handle of a sword appearing from his palm! With a quick pull, Gargant recalled his hook-bladed weapon, Garblade, from its place within him, swinging it left and right to acquaint himself with his blade once more. He then took up his fighting stance, beckoning the recovering Reach warriors nearby with his other hand. "Shall we, fools?"

Over at one of the smaller vessels, three Reach warriors were firing their arm cannons behind them as they raced toward a closing bulkhead. The sudden appearance of the massive, demonic-looking warrior in their armory, and the subsequent deactivation of all the ship's inner defenses, had given them no time to repel the boarder.

His great strength, and the massive blade he carried, allowed him to stand fast against even the most well armed Reach operatives. Any wounds he suffered seemed to quickly heal back to normal, and the energies he seemed to summon from the very air around him was able to cut through some of the most durable metals on the cruiser. The Reach operatives sent to oppose him stood no chance.

Suddenly, one of the Reach soldier's sensors locked onto a target, moving in their direction at a steady pace. "It's here! SAFETIES OFF! OPEN FIRE!"

A huge energy barrage blazed out from all three Reach, flying down the hallway and striking their target with precision, only for them to see their shots being deflected away by the massive blade of their demonic opponent! Its eyes were aglow with emerald light, and then, the three Reach operatives were suddenly torn apart by deadly blows from that same arcane blade!

Surveying his surroundings, Marcellus hefted up his blade onto his shoulder, looking over his handiwork. ('I've missed fighting for our cause for so long.') He mused to himself as he took hold of the still-closing bulkhead door, and heaved it aside like it was nothing more than cardboard! Continuing forward, Marcellus reached a nearby lift, still open and unattended.

Looking at it with his enhanced senses, he could feel the energies of the infiltration magics within, awaiting his input. Touching his temple, Marcellus telepathically informed Gargant and Gogandantess of his progress. ('I have secured the engine room and the armory here. Proceeding to the bridge to secure the ship's navigational drives with the next few moments.') He thought out to his allies. Gogandantess replied a moment later.

XXXXXX

('Well done, old boy.') The Genma swordsman joked. ('I'm quite glad that you haven't lost a single step, even after all this time.')

('Hilarious, Goga.') Marcellus returned, making use of his own nickname for the proud former Genma. ('Is Gargant behaving himself?') A smashing sound across the senses of Gogandantess greeted Marcellus' inquiry.

('He's really putting some serious effort into the battle here.') Gogandantess thought back, his eyes following the Oni traitor as he continually tore through Reach operatives left and right, either by the sheer power of his blows and his sword tearing through their armor, or by the waves of arcane force that sheared through their ranks.

('How long until you secure the bridge there?') Marcellus queried.

('Ten to fifteen minutes, give or take, with the way Gargant's going.') Goga replied. ('And the other vessel?')

('Our infiltration magics spread out in a very large area; it shut down their ship's defenses and their drives just like these two.') Marcellus thought back.

('It also remotely shut down all their armor protocols. They are basically in stasis, so that our people can understand their technology before we make use of it.') The Oni General mentally replied.

('Good... wow, that's going to leave a bruise.') Goga replied, his eyes showing Marcellus a view of Gargant impaling the last Reach warrior before, his entire body covered with synthetic fluids and flecks of torn organic flesh. ('Call you back when we reach the bridge, big fella.')

Marcellus nodded to himself as their telepathic conversation ended. He then touched the panel near the lift, and it slid open to admit him.

"Destination?" The panel sounded.

"Bridge." Marcellus intoned. The lift quickly sealed, and began rising, giving the Oni warrior time to collect his thoughts, and marshall his strength. Moments later, the lift stopped, and the doors slowly split open to show the bridge crew, all aiming their weapons at Marcellus as he emerged.

"Surrender, or die!" The Reach leader on board yelled, only for Marcellus to heft his blade before him.

"Oni do not surrender." He replied, using his innate Oni energies to speak in tones that the aliens would understand. "We overcome... any and all obstacles. Prepare to meet your makers."

With that, Marcellus charged into the bridge, and the crew opened fire.

XXXXXX

_Once more within the hidden dark room..._

The purple spiritual energies of the Oni Council came into view once more within their ancient meeting place. As soon as all of them were present, the first voice among them spoke up.

("The mission set before our three warriors has succeeded.") The Council hummed with pride and relief.

("Show us.") The white sphere appeared before them, showing the time-space distortion pulled open by Oni magics, and the space drives of the three commandeered Reach ships, that allowed them all to return to the selected space and time chosen to allow the Oni time to understand the alien technology, and make use of it for the eventual return of the Black Oni.

("Excellent.") The second voice among them spoke. ("And the remaining aliens?")

("Dispatched, or placed into stasis for the forseeable future.") The first one stated, viewing the return of the three Oni warriors to their place among them, while members of the Oni science and intelligence sects journeyed to the captured vessels, and began their work on the alien ships. Marcellus, Gargant, and Gogandantess all kneeled before the Council, each of them in varying degrees of damage that was already healing.

("You three have done well, and have done the Oni race proud in making sure that the return of the Black Oni is prepared for.") The third voice among the Council sounded out to the trio. ("For your efforts, you all will be allowed to meet the Black Oni when he returns, and shall aid in his training and growth.")

"You honor us by your choice, noble Oni. I accept." Marcellus boomed.

"I will take great pleasure in teaching the young one how to truly be as great a swordsman as me. I also accept." The Council 'chuckled' at Goga's response.

("Gargant.") The Council boomed at the Oni traitor. ("You followed your oath, as was once again given to you when you returned from the void. Tell us: if given the chance, even knowing that either Marcellus or Gogandantess would surely strike you down once more, would you attempt to murder the Black Oni before he claimed his birthright?")

The Oni traitor kept his gaze low, his breathing normal. He knew right then and there that the Council was debating his future. He could begin anew in service to the Oni, with a strong and watchful presence, or he could return to the void, to never wield his sword or his powers in battle ever again. If the Council was to give him that very chance, he needed to be honest with them.

"The thought crossed my mind,... honored Council..." Gargant stated, then lifted up and looked at his bound wrists once more. "... but, unless I wish to never wield my blade or my powers in battle again, I must discard that forever. My decision to serve the Genma Lord was my choice, and that time is now over." Bowing down, placing his hands and his forehead to the ground, Gargant spoke again.

"On my blood as an Oni warrior, I will seek to prove my worth once more to the Oni Council, and I ask forgiveness for my actions against its will. I will accept whomever you choose to watch over me, and whomever you select to command me. This, I vow, and thus, I also accept your wish that I aid in training the Black Oni." Gargant's words echoed in the room, and they were quickly answered.

("So be it.") The first voice sounded out. ("This 'Trinity' of our own shall continue on, both as messengers of our will, and as the watchers of the Black Oni.") The Council looked on as the first voice finished its speech.

("Seek your rest, our Trinity. When the time is right, you will called upon for further tasks that will need to be completed.") The trio nodded, vanishing moments later as the Council finished its deliberations.

("So has the die been cast. So will we prepare for the Black Oni's return.") The Council spoke in unison, and then, vanished from sight once more.

End Prologue

* * *

Wow, how's that for a first chapter? Amazed? Me, too! Well, the stage has been set, and come the next chapter, we shall find out where the next Black Oni will appear, as well as the name he will be called in life. Wish me luck!

Comments and thoughts, welcome!


	2. Chapter 2

Same disclaimer as before, everyone: I do not own anything related to the Onimusha series, or to DC (Detective Comics) in any way, except for my own OC. Just getting this out of my head, and having a load of fun doing it.

* * *

(''): Mental thoughts

(""): Oni Council thoughts

* * *

Onimusha: The Return

2. Preparations

_Summer of the year 1800, the islands of Japan..._

Deep within a hidden series of caverns, far beneath the isles of Japan, a group of meticulous demi-human beings worked diligently upon three sizable ships of unearthly origin. The vessels had been built by an alien race known as the Reach, a devious race of cybernetically-augmented beings who, in the late 21st century, would attempt to invade and conquer the Earth.

Failing that due to the intervention of the world's superhumans - the Justice League and their covert 'Team' of younger heroes, - the Reach then attempted to destroy the Earth, only for that act to fail as well, the heroes again defeating the aliens. Now, though, the three alien ships in question - secretly conscripted by the ancient Oni and taken back in time over two hundred years, - had been heavily studied and adapted by the well-hidden Oni race's mystical scientists, all in preparation for the return of the Black Oni, the mortal reincarnation of the Oni God of Darkness.

Already, one of the two smaller cruiser-type vessels had been completely repurposed and rebuilt into a formidable outpost base, now fully functional and waiting temporal deployment to a secondary site. Also, after breaking down the dormant minds of the remaining Reach soldiers on board the three ships - done with powerful illusions and temporal manipulations - the Oni scientists had little trouble fully understanding and operating the advanced alien machinery.

They had even been able to manufacture new and powerful weapons that were fusions of the alien technology and their arcane knowledge, and of use only to the Oni people in all its forms. The Oni planned to be fully prepared for anything, whatever future events may come their way.

XXXXXX

Presently, a portal opened inside the cavern, and into the underground space stepped Marcellus, the reborn Oni warrior and General, as he escorted one of the Oni's newest, and most talented, arcane scientists. Lady Tenmara had been the first to decipher and repurpose any part of the advanced alien technology, and her team had quickly spread their findings to the other research teams.

In those findings, Lady Tenmara had been able to carry out two important goals in her studies: first, she had designed and developed an arcane crossbow, fueled by the cleansed and repurposed Reach technology, and enhanced armor designs for the Oni derived from the remaining cybernetic armors left unused in the alien ships.

By utilizing their ancient magics, most of the hidden enslaving commands left in the databases of the alien armors had been completely erased, preserving its function, but allowing the will and purpose of the Oni to drive them now. Lady Tenmara was a true credit to her people, so much so that the Oni Council decreed that Marcellus himself, when he was not in the field, would be both her guard and her watcher from time to time in her work.

This was one of those days, when the Oni General came to check up on his charge, and made sure she was well-rested and not overdoing things, as well as taking time to simply enjoy the wonders of the world.

"Thank you for the walk, General; I did not realize how much fresh air and a delicious bit of sustenance would revive my spirits." The Oni General's hearty chuckle answered Tenmara's appreciation.

"You are most welcome, Lady Tenmara." Marcellus said as he looked around the busy cavern. "It is a simple task to remind ourselves that one must appreciate the planet around us, as we all work to safeguard humanity, our people, and the future."

Lady Tenmara nodded at Marcellus' words as he bowed to her, before the Oni General and his charge walked back to the portal linking the entrance of the largest alien ship to the hidden caverns. By understanding and applying the advanced technology of the Reach to their needs - after thorough cleansing and repurposing, of course, - the Oni had been able to not only improve their own arcane inventions, but also secured them against usurpers and thefts with arcane wards of impressive strength.

Even the arcane mechanical stallion and the special transport vehicle used by Sougen, the second brave Onimusha (later known as Jubei Yagyu), had been improved. The mechanical steed could now alter its form into another form beyond its protective orb shape: a two-wheeled carriage, called a 'motorcycle' in the 21st century. Meanwhile, the transport vehicle could now traverse the air currents just as well as it did underwater to the hidden Oni Temple.

Lady Tenmara's contributions to the Oni were well-received; it was indeed wise of the Oni Council to place her under protective guard, if any remaining enemies of the Oni rose up to try and harm her. As she and Marcellus used the portal once more, they reappeared a moment later on the bridge of the largest alien ship; Marcellus kept his thoughts well guarded as Lady Tenmara conversed with her team about what they had discovered since her respite.

The Oni General could not let on to any other Oni of what the Oni Council had informed him in private: Lady Tenmara was to be the bearer of the child of (Kaijin no Soki), the 'Oni of the Ash', better known to all the Oni people as Soki, the noble warrior who had defeated Fortinbras, the Genma God of Light.

Soki had been able to accomplish this with the aid of his allies, and by seizing his destiny as the Black Oni, the reincarnation of the Oni God of Darkness. Knowing this, Marcellus had gladly accepted the task set before him: to safeguard not just the Oni's most valuable arcane scientist, but the mother to be of the next brave soul to again be chosen as the champion of their people and humanity... the Onimusha.

"So, Lady Tenmara, what did you want to show me, now that we are back aboard this alien ship?" Marcellus inquired as he followed the Oni noblewoman to her personal work console on the ship.

"Just these, General." Tenmara commented, waving her hands over the panels on her workstation, powering it up, and bringing up some images from the projects she was working on.

The first images Tenmara showed Marcellus were rudimentary blueprints, combining the alien technology with the arcane knowledge of the Oni to build a formidable combat vessel capable of operating on a planet, or in space, and armed to the teeth in all aspects. Its temporary file listing had the title 'Myst Dragon' as its name.

The next image Tenmara brought up had pictures of several inactive Reach Scarab armor units, traveling through temporal pocket to gather the mystical genetic remains of past fallen Oni warriors from ancient battles, and then returning with those remains to allow the repurposed alien technology - along with obvious temporal manipulations - to regenerate enough of these fallen Oni to begin to repopulate their people.

It had been a fervent wish given to Tenmara in one of the last visits she had enjoyed with her late older sister: Takajo herself, the mother of Jubei, and the one who awoken in him the will to avenge humanity, and stop the Genma.

"Most impressive, Lady Tenmara." Marcellus commented. Tenmara smiled, the scales on her back shimmering with pride.

"Thank you very much, General Marcellus." Tenmara replied. "I sincerely hope that all of my efforts pay off in the long run, and aid our people in many ways." Marcellus nodded at Tenmara's response, but his own thoughts were still elsewhere, even though he did manage to keep them from showing on his face.

('You have no idea what wonders you will give our people, Lady Tenmara. One day, before too long, it will be (all of us) who will thank you.') The Oni General mentally said to himself.

XXXXXX

Later on, after a pair of Oni guardsmen escorted Lady Tenmara to her personal quarters on board the ship to get some well-deserved rest, Marcellus was again summoned before the Oni Council to give them a status report. It did not take long for Marcellus to confirm to them that all things were on schedule, but what they told him after that, a new aspect of the future that they had divined for the coming of the Black Oni, surprised even his senses away from the moment.

"My brethren, honored Oni... you wish for me to make sure that, when the time comes, the Black Oni begins to form a clan house of his own in the new cities of humankind across the great seas? In these... 'Americas?' " The words did not seem real as the Oni General spoke them, only until the Council confirmed them with a unanimous hum.

("Yes, General; the Black Oni WILL begin a new clan of the Oni in these 'United States of America.' It has been foreseen by us all.") The entire Council sounded back to Marcellus, who smirked.

"Well, then, my brethren,... just how MANY wives are we looking at here for our future Onimusha?" The Council hummed in unison, and then replied.

("As far as we have seen, General... at LEAST, THREE. But, as we all well know, for the Oni people, that number can easily change.") Marcellus' eyes blinked.

"Well, he will be a very busy clan leader, then." Marcellus mused. "What was the largest number of spouses taken in our history?" The Council hummed again.

("Twenty, General.") Marcellus could barely believe what the Council had just said to him.

"TWENTY!? That's... amazing...!" Marcellus exclaimed. The Council then hummed again before speaking, and again, Marcellus was shocked by what he heard.

("That record, General, is also held, in the utmost secrecy, by the first of us to be known as the Black Oni.") The Council then hummed in a warning tone. ("Keep that information to yourself, General.")

"Of course." Marcellus replied.

A short while later, Marcellus returned to Lady Tenmara's quarters, and was soon greeted by the Oni noblewoman, whose scales were flashing in joy.

She had just discovered a new method of activating the alien Reach technology with micro-sized bursts of Oni magical energy, literally creating arcane nanotechnology that was completely loyal to the goals of the Oni! It would be able to enhance the natural healing abilities of all the Oni people, and within a generation, the new mystical class of nanotechnology would be completely organic and in all their people, with no possible way to use it against them.

With this latest piece of knowledge, Lady Tenmara had found yet another way to repopulate the dwindling Oni people, after so many millenia of wars against evil, and most prominently, against the Genma.

"Can this new discovery be used against us in any way, Lady Tenmara?" Marcellus warily inquired, glad for her hard work, but carefully analyzing the information that she had just given him. Tenmara vigorously shook her head.

"No, General. We have already succeeded at completely removing any programming within the alien machines that would compel them to obey those Reach invaders, and turn anyone with it inside of them against their own." Tenmara firmly stated. "We have also rebuilt the hardware within all their systems with pure Oni mystical rituals that act in the same fashion. From their very molecular structure, they are no longer Reach-born technology." Marcellus nodded, then spoke again.

"It will serve our needs, then?" Tenmara nodded at the General.

"They are completely loyal to the Oni, and we will test them all thoroughly to be certain, and before any Oni will be asked to make use of it." She replied, still smiling as her hands danced across her personal work-console. Marcellus could only smile and watch her work.

('You have chosen well, Lord Soki.') Marcellus mused to himself. ('I wonder how the Black Oni's next incarnation will receive the decree from the Oni Council that he will need to begin creating his own Oni clan in the Americas,... AND with as many wives as he is able to handle.) The Oni General silently chuckled to himself.

XXXXXX

Back in the Oni Council's hidden meeting hall, the twelve 'lights' of the Council once more appeared to one another, each one humming in greeting to each of their brethren in kind. Moments after the Council had convened, the first voice among them spoke up to its members.

("Have we seen whom the new Black Oni shall eventually choose as the first of the lovely souls to become part of his new clan?") A second voice calmly answered the first's inquiry.

("Yes; in fact, it shall be the younger of two sisters, born of the alien race from the planet Tamaran, who shall be his first bride. They are both of royal blood, and have been to Earth in the past.") The first voice hummed, then spoke up again.

("Have they, now? We assume that they have met the world's heroes before during that time?") A third voice chimed in.

("Yes. In fact, the younger sister is a friend and former member of the Teen Titans, which now has been reformed into the covert 'Team' that follows the lead of the Justice League in their endeavors.") The third voice stated. ("The older sister, however, still retains a slight bit of a 'bad girl' attitude, as her childhood was difficult, and her actions then were against her own people. Still, over time, she has repaired her relations with both her sister and her family, as well as her royal standing.")

("Both she and the younger sister who will be his bride, should be fine allies to the Black Oni and his future clan.") A fourth voice spoke up as well. ("Seeing as their strengths and abilities can rival young Kryptonians, they should keep him on his toes in sparring matches... and in his private chambers, at least for the younger sister.")

For the first time in many centuries of war and preparation, all twelve of the Oni Council hummed and 'chuckled' together at that response. Once calm had been restored, the Council's deliberations continued on. The second voice resumed their dialogue as soon as everyone was ready.

("Two other likely choices for the next ones to be chosen as spouses for the Black Oni's new clan were mentioned when we last debriefed General Marcellus. Do we have any conclusive proof yet of either one?") The first voice answered the second one's question moments later.

("It has been hotly debated, my brethren, but the majority of us agrees that a particular sorceress - one whom the former Teen Titans all know and respect, - even when she will one day be revealed to be one like US,... will be the next one to be chosen as a wife of the Black Oni.") A fifth voice sounded out in a grumbling tone.

("I still do not see how they will be able to redeem her completely, nor how they can defuse the dark prophecy around this one. Misfortune will follow her if steps are not taken to prevent its completion.") The first voice quickly responded.

("If the MAJORITY of the Council has seen fit NOT to name her as a threat yet, then we WILL NOT do so.") The first voice's tone brooked no defiance. ("She may indeed be a child of an elder demon lord, but she was raised to defy her inner darkness, and the Black Oni himself will stand with her. So, we SHALL believe that she CAN succeed, and defeat the prophecy. Agreed?") The Council hummed and murmured before all their tones sounded out again in agreement.

("That being said, my brethren, we shall keep a close eye on her, just to be sure of her intentions, and to see just how much she will grow before that time comes. Then, we all shall know just how the intervention of the Black Oni will aid her the most.") The first voice's firm statement quickly garnered a hum of approval from the Council.

("And, what of the third person? Do we have information on her?") The second voice answered the third voice's question.

("The next foreseen choice for the Black Oni, amazingly enough, is one born of the same race as the mighty Kryptonian, but from another time, place,... and dimension.") The first voice replied in amazement.

("The fates have seen fit to allow a FEMALE Kryptonian to become one of the Black Oni's brides? Very intriguing...") As the first voice finished speaking, the fifth voice chimed in once more.

("Well, it does go without saying that the new Black Oni shall have quite entertaining moments in his personal chambers... as well as raising his descendants.") The first voice quickly recognized something in its brethren's tones, and called 'him' on it.

("To what are you implying, my brethren?") The fifth voice 'chuckled' before answering his counterpart back.

("My fellow divine Oni, do you not think that the Black Oni is more than capable of granting his future wives the opportunity of bearing him MORE THAN ONE descendant at a single time?") The entire Council 'gasped' at that, and the second voice chimed in once more.

("You have FORESEEN this? His future brides will ALL bear him MORE than one child when the moment presents itself?") The fifth voice 'nodded.'

("Such is the gift of the Black Oni. As his own family grows, in time, an intermediary voice shall be born to hear our guidance, to walk side by side with us all, and to justly govern the return of the Oni people back from the brink of extinction.") The Council hummed in unison.

("A young alien princess from Tamaran... a half-human, half-demon sorceress... and a time-displaced female relative of the Kryptonian...") The second voice trailed off, only to be answered by the first voice once more.

("Our noble Black Oni shall indeed have a strong family to guide and lead our people into this new millenia.") The fourth voice replied.

("He shall learn to use his natural Oni gifts wisely and skillfully, as well as discussing new ways to use both our imparted weapons and the resources he shall be able to use when the time is right.") The second voice spoke up again.

("Even our treasured gift, our ancient pact with humanity - the Oni Gauntlet itself - shall grow in strength and knowledge alongside him, and will mark him truly worthy as both the Onimusha, and our ancient benefactor: the Black Oni, reborn again to drive out evil from wherever it rears its stench before him.") The first voice called in firm tones to bring the joyous Council back to order, and then, closed up their conversations.

("We have seen much that we must all prepare for, my brethren. Let us adjourn for now, for when next we gather, we shall choose which options are best to use... and just how many measures will be implemented to prepare for when Lady Tenmara's projects bear fruit, all in time to bear witness to her acceptance as the mother to be of the next Black Oni. Council, adjourned.")

XXXXXX

The following day, General Marcellus, as well as Gogandantess and Gargant, were summoned by Lady Tenmara to the nearly completed outpost base. Created from one of the smaller, confiscated Reach cruisers and Oni mystic rituals, it was to be brought fully online in the coming weeks, but in an undisclosed location. However, still the hard worker she was, Lady Tenmara's inspection of the altered vessel's secured database had found something of great value, yet again.

The trio arrived via portal to the staging area as soon as they were able. The reborn Genma-turned-Oni, as intrigued with her work as Marcellus, Gogandantess greeted her very warmly.

"Ah, Lady Tenmara! Fair greetings to you this fine day." Tenmara half-smirked to the former enemy of her people.

"Good day, Gogandantess... and my answer is still 'no,' my eager friend." Tenmara's reply quickly wiped the smile off Gogandantess' face, and a half-frown replaced it as she continued to speak. "My future mate has yet to be shown to me, as I have already explained to you." Gogandantess bowed his head in mock defeat.

"Ah! My poor heart is broken yet again! Whatever shall I do!?" Marcellus let out a brief chuckle, while Gargant merely snorted.

"As amusing as you are, Goga, Lady Tenmara called us here to show us something that she found in the ship's data banks, not to turn down your advances... again." Gargant grunted at Marcellus' response, but in reality, he had already turned away to hide the small grin on his face.

"Marcellus speaks truth. So, hush, Goga, and allow Lady Tenmara to show us what she has found." Goga shrugged in response.

"Ah, well; better luck next time, I guess. So, our good Lady Tenmara, what have you found this time?" Goga asked, prompting Tenmara to smile.

The Oni noblewoman beamed as she walked over to a nearby console and brought up a series of holographic screens before them all, and began to explain what she had found to the three Oni Generals.

"When the Reach planned their invasion, they made concessions on the chance that it would fail, and how they would destroy the Earth in that instance, my friends." Lady Tenmara spoke, manipulating the screens to show the failed infiltration of Earth's society, the rescue of the humans they experimented on, and the thwarted attempt to use Earth's own magnetic fields to tear the planet to pieces.

"Diabolical." Gogandantess stated. Marcellus and Gargant rolled their eyes.

"Moving on..." Lady Tenmara continued on. "... in the perceived moment of victory, the Reach would deploy supply transports, which were left hidden in four equidistant points from the planet, and cloaked from view." Gargant grinned as he heard that.

"The retreating fools had no time to reclaim those hidden transports, and more than likely, they were all on an automated mode..." Gargant began.

"... waiting for an all-clear signal to rejoin their fleet and descend to Earth." Marcellus finished with a smile of his own.

"More resources for us, then, eh, my bold comrades, seeing as I suspect that our good Lady Tenmara now knows the exact locations of those transports, correct?" Goga spoke up, his eyes sparkling.

"I have already found and isolated the designated recall signal, General Marcellus, and within the week, we shall have portals ready to take you all to claim them all for the Oni people." Tenmara said, her hands still dancing over the console.

"Well done, Lady Tenmara; yet again, your skills benefit the future of the Oni. We will await your call to arms." Marcellus replied.

XXXXXX

Two days later, the insertion of the three teams of Oni warriors - led by Marcellus, Gargant, and Gogandantess, went off without a hitch. The temporal gateways returned them to the same time period, but only a few days after the three Oni Generals had forcibly confiscated the three Reach vessels now in their keeping.

First off, Marcellus' team hit the largest of the four transports, and within minutes, it was under their control. No active Reach warriors were found in the transport; in fact, no live warriors were there at all. The entire transport was on automatic, and it was also the main communications link for all the transports.

The infiltration magics used by the Oni team quickly shut down communications, and disengaged any and all protocols that could be used to cause a reactor overlord on any of the transports. Marcellus and his team made sure that there were no hidden defenses or hibernating Reach warriors on board, before they locked down any and all areas of the first transport.

Marcellus and his team then teleported away to another of the three remaining transport ships, while Gogandantess and Gargant led their own teams in assaulting the last two Reach transports. Within three hours' time, three outposts were firmly in Oni hands. With the primary transport's communications off-line, Oni science teams were able to board the ships and find out each ship's purpose.

The main ship, of course, had been designated as the communications hub, allowing for precise disbursement of Reach forces aboard - their barracks, no doubt, - while the second vessel, taken over by Gargant and his squad, was their vehicle depot. The third vessel, assaulted by Gogandantess and his squad, turned out to be their armory, which left Goga smiling pretty as only the fourth transport now remained.

With three of the four transports locked down tight, and under Oni control, the three Oni Generals and all their teams attacked the last one; they soon discovered that the last ship happened to be their research and development transport. Marcellus, Gargant, and Gogandantess all thought the same thing, a single word that 21st century humans used for success. ('JACKPOT!')

All of the Reach's accumulated research data, their efforts to awaken metahuman genes in human to better counter them, and every secret to their weapons, technology, and ships that the Oni did not have: it was all here. Gogandantess quickly reasoned that this transport, like the main one, were back-up sites for all the data that had been collected by the Reach in their galactic travels, and in all their sadistic experiments conducted along the way. The other two Oni Generals quickly agreed.

Marcellus looked over their find after it was fully secured, and once all four reported in under the control of the Oni, the booming Oni General contacted Lady Tenmara and her teams.

('My Lady, the four transports have been secured and cleared of enemy forces and all their defenses. The long-range early warning system is fully operational and under our control as well.') Marcellus spoke through the special psychic comm unit on his head.

('Wondrous!') Lady Tenmara answered. ('The Oni Council and our people thank you all for your hard work, Generals.)

('We shall soon be making great strides in rebuilding both our race and our society, Lady Tenmara. In doing that, our noble choice to fight evil shall continue on.') Marcellus replied, before telling his troops to prepare for the journey home.

XXXXXX

For nearly two hundred years after that, with the Oni now in full control of the four Reach reserve transports, as well as the three ships they had taken previously through their temporal magics, the Oni made gigantic strides in further increasing their resources, and truly strengthening their defenses. As for Lady Tenmara's research, it soon led to the dwindling Oni people's birth rate TRIPLING, and the recovery of many of their fallen warriors far easier than ever before.

Where once the Oni people had been keeping their population at a paltry seven hundred and fifty thousand - relying on their time and dimensional magics as much as their chosen human champions to aid them in all their wars over the millenia, - they finally began to flourish once more. By the equivalent year of 1990, the Oni people numbered over three and a half million inhabitants in their dimensional realm.

Additionally, thanks again to Lady Tenmara and her diligent research teams, the technology of the Reach and all the resources taken from the would-be alien conquerors was used to further the Oni's war efforts. It allowed them to create many more of the special Oni Army Orbs, engineering them all to function without the need of the Oni Gauntlet, and distributed them to the capable Oni warriors in the field. This decision gave each Oni warrior the back-up of a massive battalion.

With the express permission of the recreated Oni souls within them, and the Oni Council's blessing, these new Army Orbs would be able to take the initial charge against their enemies that sought to destroy the peace and justice the Oni wished to protect, while the reborn and rearmed Oni people would bring up the middle and rear guard with their new arsenal.

Lady Tenmara was hailed as a true blessing to the Oni people for her efforts. She had no idea that within the next two years, fate would grant her a truly wonderful reward for her service to her people.

XXXXXX

_Meanwhile..._

On the island of Honshu, in the nation of Japan, a long, half-paved desert road stretched from the nearest city of Kyoto to Mt. Hiei, a well-secluded holy shrine of the Oni, and several other noble faiths.

Presently, at the halfway marking point, a glowing blue portal opened, and out jumped a young man! Landing on the ground evenly as the portal closed behind him, the man pulled his hooded traveling cloak tight to his body, not minding that it only hid his head and face from view. The cloak did nothing to hide the twin sword pommels rising up from over his broad shoulders.

Holding up one of his armored hands, he held it up before himself, eyes closed, and swept it slowly in front of his body, and over the road. A moment later, his eyes glowed with blue light, and he smiled.

"Arin, keep the light on; I'm coming to visit, my dear friend." The man spoke to the air before beginning to walk toward the mountain in the distance. As he walked, the strange man hummed a tune to himself as he enjoyed the evening air. He was heading off to rejoin an old friend of his... and the ones who had foretold his return.

* * *

Whew! Got that one out of the way! Hope you all enjoyed how I portrayed the Oni taking a strong stance for the future, as well as them quickly snatching up any and all Reach tech that was left behind when the heroes of Earth drove them all away. Hopefully, when I get the next one done, that one will be a bit more on the action side. Comments are welcome, and see ya next time!


	3. Chapter 3

Same disclaimer as before, everyone: I do not own anything related to the Onimusha series, or to DC (Detective Comics) in any way, except for my own OCs. Just getting this out of my head, and having a load of fun doing it.

* * *

(''): Mental thoughts

("CAPS"): Oni Council thoughts

* * *

Onimusha: The Return

3. Choice of Fate

_Summer 1992, somewhere on the isles of Japan..._

Arcane machinery hummed and turned as three members of the Oni people moved to check on one of their own. "Are we sure about this?" Gargant, the revived traitor Oni, now bound to forced service by the Oni Council itself, asked as he and his compatriots walked to the private quarters of one of the head Oni researchers.

"I am sure, Gargant." Marcellus, the reborn Oni General and legendary warrior, stated firmly to Gargant. Their third comrade, the revived and transformed Genma-into-Oni Gogandantess, yet another powerful swordsman in their employ, quickly perked up as Marcellus chided Gargant.

"Ah! It almost seems unfair to me; all those years of showing the Lady my affections, and you KNEW that her mate had already been chosen by the fates, Marcellus! Shame on you!" Marcellus chuckled as they arrived at their destination.

"The _Council_ swore me to utmost secrecy, Goga. Better to keep silent than to tempt fate, and encounter interference from our many enemies." Marcellus replied.

"Bah! Semantics! I hate it when your logic makes sense, Marcellus." Gargant growled as the door of the dwelling they had arrived at glowed, acknowledging their arrival.

"Makes him harder to get rid off, eh, Gargant?" Goga chimed in. "Now then, shall we go and check up on our Lady,... and her new arrival?" Hearing Goga's reply, the two other Oni nodded at him, and they announced their presence at the door by each one of them placing a hand on the door. It slid open moments later, revealing a sizable recovery room, and cabinets full of medical supplies. Nearby, two medical-caste Oni were diligently tending to a beaming, but very tired bedridden Lady Tenmara, who was holding a cooing bundle in her arms.

"Lady Tenmara." Marcellus greeted the Oni noblewoman as he and Gogandantess bowed to her. Gargant acknowledged her with a brief nod.

"Greetings, Generals." Lady Tenmara replied, still somewhat out of breath from the previous night, and the twenty-nine hours of labor she had endured to bring her child into their world.

"Is it true, my Lady?" Gogandantess gently inquired. "Was it... _him_?" Lady Tenmara smiled, then pointed at a nearby table, which held a small oil painting set into a gold frame. The General all looked at it, and their eyes grew wide in amazement at the image painted there.

Standing next to a very pregnant Lady Tenmara, and the spunky Tengu-turned-Oni aide Arin, - keeper of the Oni Shrine on Mt. Hiei - was a blonde-haired man dressed in ornate blue and black samurai armor, with the pommels of two large broadswords over his right shoulder. Mt. Hiei could be seen in the distance behind the trio. It was, without a doubt, the courageous Hideyasu Yuki, the illegitimate son of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the last human traitor to command the Genma. Of course, the Oni people knew him better as _Kaijin no Soki,_ 'the Oni of the Ash,' and the Black Oni, he who had defeated Fortinbras over three hundred and fifty years ago. The Black Oni himself was the father of Lady Tenmara's child.

"Fates be praised." Marcellus spoke. Even Gargant shook his head in disbelief.

"May we know his name, my Lady?" Gogandantess asked, a wide grin on his face. Lady Tenmara smiled back.

"His blessed Oni name is known to only me and the Oni Council, Goga, but..." The Oni noblewoman said as she lovingly looked upon her newborn son. "... Kyosuke. His name is Kyosuke Tenkai, my friends: in honor of Soki's old ally against that accursed beast, Fortinbras, and his godfather: Samanosuke Akechi." Marcellus smiled at those words.

"A fine name, indeed, my Lady. He will bear it with honor; I'm sure of it." Goga spoke again as Marcellus finished speaking.

"Do tell us, Lady Tenmara,..." The grinning Genma-turned-Oni asked. "... when did you meet the Oni of the Ash?" Lady Tenmara smiled, even as her son gurgled insistently in her arms.

"A moment, Generals. My son is hungry... _again_." All three of the Generals nodded, and quickly stepped back so that the medical Oni could pull a privacy sheet between them as Lady Tenmara lowered her garments to nurse her son. She then began to speak to them through the shroud.

"It was a little more than a year ago. The Council basically browbeat me into taking a short break from my work." Lady Tenmara groused.

"They also asked Miss Arin, the protector of Mt. Hiei, to watch over me as I rested in her care there. Then, _he_ came..." Lady Tenmara trailed off, remembering that day as if it were yesterday...

XXXXXX

_Spring 1991..._

"Welcome to Mt. Hiei, Lady Tenmara; your journey here was uneventful, I hope?" The child-sized evolved Tengu Arin greeted the Oni nobleman as she approached the temple steps. She was followed by General Marcellus, and two of his personal guards.

"No, Miss Arin, nothing out of the ordinary." Lady Tenmara replied. "Except, of course, for Marcellus here watching over me like a nervous hen." The women chuckled as Marcellus half-smirked at them, his own men stifling their laughter.

"Then, I have done my duty as your escort, Lady Tenmara." The Oni General replied, his tone sarcastic, but well-meant. "No harm befell you, and my guards here will remain to guard the temple gates to Mt. Hiei during your stay. I shall return in two days' time to see how you are." Marcellus then looked over at Arin. "Arin, keep a good eye on this one for us. She is to be resting here, not trying to fiddle with new projects." Lady Tenmara huffed at the Oni General's statement.

"Make sure no one plays with or attempts to decipher my work, General." Lady Tenmara sternly said. Marcellus nodded.

"Rest assured, Lady Tenmara; it will NOT be touched until you return. You have my word on _that_, and the providence of the Oni Council." Marcellus replied.

"Very well, General. I shall see you in two days." Lady Tenmara answered. Marcellus politely bowed,and headed off, while his two guards took up their posts, hidden behind Oni chameleon magics.

"So, would you like some tea, Lady Tenmara?" Arin asked her guest as they began to walk up the steps to the temple.

"Freshly brewed, I hope, Miss Arin." Lady Tenmara inquired with a smile. Arin grinned back.

"Of course; only the best for my guests." Lady Tenmara nodded.

"Then, lead on, my dear." Lady Tenmara said as Arin took her by the arm and lead her further on into the temple.

XXXXXX

Later on that night, the two guards called out to Arin from the gates. Someone was approaching, and they were walking right through the mists that protected Mt. Hiei without any problem. They drew their weapons, prepared for battle and ready to defend their charges and the temple, but it was Arin who stopped them when she sensed the familiar energy of the approaching person.

"C-can it be...? Is it, truly _him_?" She spoke to the air. A moment later, the hooded figure stepped through the mists, and stopped at the bottom of the temple steps. He looked up at the guards there with Arin, and pulled down his hood to show them who he was.

"Hello, Arin. I'm glad to see that you are well. It's been a long time." Soki, the Oni of the Ash, said as he greeted his friend, and began walking up the steps.

XXXXXX

"But... _how_?" Gargant wondered out loud at Lady Tenmara's words. "Forgive me for being blunt, Lady Tenmara, but didn't Lord Soki, well... _disappear_ when he defeated Fortinbras? How...?" Before Gargant could continue on, Lady Tenmara adjusted her sitting position behind the curtain, then responded to his question.

"When he defeated the White Serpent, General, he also fully accepted a portion of his life as the Black Oni: omnipresence, if but for a short while." Gogandantess gasped at that revelation from Lady Tenmara, followed by Marcellus commenting on it.

"The divine ability to be in all places at the same time... he has _seen_ what is to come, my comrades, and he has made sure that the Oni people are ready for it." The tall Oni General's words rang true for everyone in the room, especially Lady Tenmara.

"The Black Oni... he _chose_ me to bear his son... I-I am so humbled! To be honored by his will... his descendant...!" Lady Tenmara was soon crying happy tears as her son still nursed from her bosom, his tiny hand wrapped tight around her finger, and gentle murmurs coming from him. Marcellus bowed his head in respect.

"Our champion has been born once more, my friends, and with Lady Tenmara, we shall teach him our ways, and the customs of humanity, so that when the evil that threatens this world rises again, he will be ready to lead us all against them." Marcellus said, as he looked at the shadow of the child in Lady Tenmara's arm behind the curtain. "Long live Lord Kyosuke Tenkai, son of Lady Tenmara and Lord Soki; let it be so. The Black Oni stands with us again."

"What was he like, my Lady?" Gogandantess asked, only to be answered by Arin, who had just entered the room with a smile on her face.

"That's easy, General." Arin spoke as she ducked behind the curtain for a moment, then came back around to continue speaking with them.

"Lord Soki is very much the same as Samanosuke: kind, brave, and loyal to a fault to his allies. But, if you do wrong, serve evil, or harm those he cares about, you will fall at his hands. Funny, though: he slept for the first _two days_ he was there at the temple." The Generals all chuckled at that response.

"He actually slept for two whole days!?" Gargant guffawed. "Serves him right for fighting so hard against that foul serpent!" Gogandantess was more appreciative.

"A well-deserved rest for a difficult task completed, Gargant. Agreed, Marcellus?" The former Genma said to his squad leader.

"Yes." Marcellus replied. He then looked at Arin. "Just how much did he eat when he woke up, Miss Arin?" Arin grinned.

"Enough dumplings, rice balls, and fried fish to feed _two _battalions of Oni." Marcellus smiled at that response.

"Replenishing his energies in the physical plane before returning to his place on the spiritual level once more... so, Lady Tenmara...?" Marcellus began anew. "... when did Lord Soki seduce you?"

From behind the curtain, Lady Tenmara sputtered at that sly remark from the smiling Oni General. The Oni noblewoman was barely keeping her composure as her son was done nursing on her right side, and she was switching him to her left side to continue feeding when Marcellus said that. "_General_! I-I was NOT seduced! What happened between us was... well... was an accident!" Arin stepped in to save the now-flustered new mother.

"She walked right in on Soki bathing in the waterfall two months after his arrival to the temple, General, and in her own words, 'got caught up in the moment.'" Lady Tenmara squeaked out at that.

"Arin! That was not called for!" Still smiling, Arin went back around the curtain and patted Tenmara's shoulder, before returning to the Generals, and again speaking about Tenmara behind the shroud.

"'Caught up in the moment,' Lady Tenmara? For four and a half hours? _Right_." Arin just chuckled, causing Tenmara's face to turn beet red behind the curtain.

"Well, I think we've disturbed Lady Tenmara and her newborn son's time long enough, don't you think, everyone?" Marcellus commented, and the other Generals nodded. "We shall be on our way, then, and I will speak to the Council at length about this wonderful development." Lady Tenmara nodded at that.

"Thank you, General. And, my apologies, Gogandantess; but, as I said, _fate_ would choose me a worthy suitor." The former Genma nodded to Lady Tenmara with a slight frown.

"If I cannot be satisfied that the Black Oni himself chose you, my Lady, to bear his child, and the next champion of the Oni, then I will be a very sorry excuse for an Oni General. I am quite happy for you." Goga said, while Gargant himself rolled his eyes at one of his two 'keepers.'

"Shall we get going now? I do have training lessons to attend to." Marcellus chuckled at Gargant's hidden meaning in his words.

"Ah, yes; it's high time we departed. Arin, keep a close eye on Lady Tenmara and her child. You know how she likes to make a nuisance of herself. Her son will likely be the same as her." Lady Tenmara gaped like a fish at Marcellus' comment, while Arin giggled in response.

"I will, General Marcellus. I promise." Tenmara finally huffed back at the Generals behind the curtain as Arin returned to her side. She went back to looking over little Kyosuke as he kept nursing on her left side, while the three Oni Generals left the medical wing of the temple and returned to the portal leaving from Mt. Hiei.

"Well, Goga? Do you approve?" Marcellus asked as the trio approached the edge of the shimmering portal. The reborn Genma-now-Oni smiled.

"He will be a delight to the ladies, my friends... and an unrelenting swordsman to the evil ones who will try to challenge him. Right, Gargant?" Goga looked at the third member of their group, who actually paused and rubbed his chin.

"If his father and godfather can stand up to me in battle, I will expect nothing less of the boy once he has the strength to wield a blade." Gargant replied, prompting Marcellus and Goga to smile at each other as they walked through the portal.

XXXXXX

Gogandantess and Gargant left Marcellus to check in on their training unit, while the head Oni General went to speak with the Council once more. Upon his arrival, the entire Council was overjoyed to hear of Kyosuke's birth; the son of the mighty Black Oni was now safely among his people. What the Council then told Marcellus, however, was no less surprising.

"So, our young warrior will not only show the younger clone of the Kryptonian how to manifest approximate versions of his innate powers due to his cloned nature, but he will also guide the older sister of the Tamaranean princess to her future mate?" Marcellus was amazed to hear what Lady Tenmara's son would do, to which the Council hummed in acknowledgement, and Marcellus answered that with another statement.

"Her future mate... he will also be a time-replicated, cloned version of Kal-El himself, and from the forty-first century, who will aid the League in repelling other threats to Earth as he adjusts to their world of relative peace?" Again, the Council glowed and hummed to Marcellus in confirmation. The Oni General smiled, as one of the Council's twelve lights spoke to him.

("THE LEGACY OF THE LAST SON OF KRYPTON WILL NOT END WITH JUST HIM, GENERAL MARCELLUS.") The first voice spoke. ("DESPITE ALL OF THE DARK FORCES WHO WISH TO SEE KAL-EL BEATEN, SUBJUGATED, OR DEAD AT THEIR HANDS, HIS WILLPOWER, COMPASSION, AND BELIEF IN THE HUMAN RACE'S FUTURE POTENTIAL WILL HOLD HIM FAST AGAINST EVIL. AND SO, AS WE HAVE FORESEEN IT, THOSE ASPECTS OF HIS EXISTENCE SHALL BE WITH ALL HIS DESCENDANTS.") Marcellus nodded again at the Council's words.

"And we, the Oni, shall stand fast with them all. By my blade and my life, I so swear it to you all. The Black Oni will be ready to face his destiny."

XXXXXX

A month later, Lady Tenmara returned to the hidden Oni compound, her infant son tucked close to her in a swaddling shoulder carrier. Many of the other female Oni quickly congratulated Lady Tenmara and heaped compliments on little Kyosuke. Still, they all soon understood one very important thing about the returning researcher.

Lady Tenmara and her son were under the close watch of the Oni Council, General Marcellus and his warriors. No one, especially any hidden evils or envious allies, were going to have any chance to catch the child and his mother unaware before he was trained and ready to take up the honored role of Onimusha. As time passed in the protective temporal domain of the Oni, Kyosuke quickly grew of age.

The growing child showed high aptitude with magical knowledge and the perfected arcane technology his mother created, and took to the training regimen with the three Oni Generals like a fish to water. Although Gargant was the most brutal of the three, Kyosuke understood that the Genma, and by extension any enemy he faced, would show him no mercy. The son of the Black Oni did not waver in the slightest.

Bit by bit, day by day, month by month, Kyosuke realized more and more of his innate potential. His mother's eyes were filled with pride every time Kyosuke learned and succeeded at his lessons and in his training, a growing flair in his efforts becoming evident in all his accomplishments and tasks.

Then, on the eve of his eleventh birthday among the Oni, all of his people saw the son of the Black Oni grasp his first true magical gift. With the blessings of his mother, and the Oni Council, Kyosuke's Oni brands appeared on his hands and arms.

With the arrival of the Oni brands, marking Kyosuke as a true warrior of the Oni, he then claimed the first of his many inheritances: the mighty Buraitou, the '_Dancing Thunder Sword_,' used by Jubei Yagyu to aid him in slaying the arrogant Nobunaga Oda's first gruesome form, given to him when the Genma revived him from death.

Over time, Kyosuke's skills grew, and his combat experience forged him into a truly formidable warrior in the eyes of the three Oni Generals. Other weapons used by Jubei during his time as the Onimusha eventually came into Kyosuke's keeping as well: the sleek Hyojin-Yari, the '_Ice Blade Spear_'; the impressive Senpumaru, the '_Whirlwind Circle_', also called the Sword of Winds; the might Dokutsui, the '_Earth Barren Hammer_'; and finally, the burning power of the Rekka-Ken, the '_Raging Fire Sword_.'

Each and every weapon, once given to Jubei through Takajo, his Oni mother and Lady Tenmara's own sister - and with the blessings of the Council - were now Kyosuke's to use as he saw fit. He also received the Oni Sacred Orbs, the five concentrated spheres of ancient virtue which he now kept in his personal chambers under the heaviest of Oni protective magics. One day, the son of the Black Oni would unlock the keys to the orbs' power, and would truly be the new Onimusha.

In the end, Kyosuke was finally approaching the day when he would leave the protective temporal domain of the Oni on his own, to spend more time among humanity, and to see just where his growing powers would be most needed. Two days before he was due to leave, though, Kyosuke returned to his mother's dwelling to see her holding a pair of ornate cases of him, gifts for the new journey he was about to begin.

One case held a specially made version of the arcane rapid-fire crossbow that Kyosuke had mastered during his training, marked as his with the same Oni brands that were on his forearms, but hidden from view by anyone who was not an Oni. The other case was opened to reveal a high-frequency arcane katana, sheathed in a scabbard with the seal of Tenmara's family on it, and the mark of the Black Oni. Only Kyosuke would be able to wield those weapons against his enemies.

To top it all off, the Oni Council summoned Kyosuke and Lady Tenmara to their hidden meeting place. Moments after they arrived, the Council presented the son of the Black Oni with their final treasure to him: the special ancient contract between humanity and the Oni, forged when the Council came to be... the Oni Gauntlet itself. The weapons and sheer power of the Gauntlet were sealed for now, but the ancient artifact recognized Kyosuke as Samanosuke's godson and Soki's son instantly.

The Gauntlet affirmed its bond with the descendant of the Black Oni, and Kyosuke humbly accepted the gift, vowing to use its power as its predecessors had. With the Council's blessing, Kyosuke headed off to finalize his departure, but not before he hugged his mother, and thanked her for all her hard work in raising him.

The son of the Black Oni was ready to journey into his future...

XXXXXX

_Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Autumn 2013..._

The City of Brotherly Love had been spared any property damage during the attempted destruction plan enacted by the repelled Reach. Therefore, it was rather easy for all the citizens to get back into a normal routine of life. No one in the city suspected that things were about to change... drastically.

Walking along the street, a tall, broad shouldered African-American man kept his eyes in front of him, thankful that his 'disguise' was in place. He didn't need to freak anybody out; he was just in town visiting, while on his way to Washington, D.C. to attend a new seminar on robotics and cybernetics.

('This conference should be hot; both WayneTech and S.T.A.R. Labs are on a roll, now that those 'Light' fools have been locked up.') The young man thought to himself as he quietly walked into an Internet café nearby. Buying a small cup of Jo, the young man went back outside and sat down on the concrete benches outside. They were the only things that could hold his real weight without shattering.

('Ah, Stone, my man, how the times have changed.') Victor Stone, better known as the former Teen Titan Cyborg, reminded himself as he sipped his beverage, recalling how over the last ten years, his father had upgraded his cybernetics, monitoring Victor as his neural matrix became even more intricate in its functions and abilities. Compared to the cybernetic organism he once more, Victor was now twenty times the human-driven machine he had been. ('Booyah.') He mentally chuckled.

Presently, Victor heard the roar of a _very_ powerful motorcycle engine, and turned to see a young man, likely in his twenties, pulling up to the curb on said motorcycle. He wore dark shades that hid his eyes, and was astride the motorcycle in style as he kicked out its kickstand. Turning off the two-wheeler's impressive engine, he stepped off his ride, and headed into the café.

('Sweet ride.') Victor mentally commented, his cybernetic eye glowing beneath his dense holographic disguise as he casually scanned the bike before him. What his advanced eye saw, however, shocked him: invisible, powerful streams of concentrated energy flowed all around the bike, almost as if it had a circulatory system of its own! ('What the heck!?') Victor thought, glad his disguise was hiding his now-fallen jaw from sight.

Just as his systems were recording the info, the young man stepped out of the café, chewing on one half of a bagel, with a hot cup of Join his other hand as he sat down at a table nearby. ('Who _are_ you?') Victor wondered.

Just then, a nervous-looking man ran right past the café, holding a stolen purse under his arm and looking over his shoulder! Seeing the unattended motorcycle, though, was more than the thief could bear, and he leaped on it, trying to gun the throttle and fire up the bike. The thief never saw it coming: a powerful electric shock from the bike sent him flying, while the owner of the sleek ride merely frowned at the sight.

Cyborg arched an eyebrow as the owner proceeded to sigh, then shoveled the rest of his bagel into his mouth, and stood up to walk over to the stunned thief. The young man finished chewing on the way over and swallowed it down as he stood over the groaning thief. "_Moron_." He said, right as a pair of harried beat cops came on scene, obviously chasing after the thief. Checking his ride over, the young man quickly gave a brief description of what had happened to the two cops before walking back to collect his beverage.

Cyborg recorded it all through his cybernetic eye, and wondered just who this new person in town actually was. Then, to his surprise, the young man turned to look around for a new seat, and noticed Cyborg seated on the concrete bench. He then walked over and asked him, "Excuse me? May I?" Cyborg shrugged, then slid over a bit to allow him to sit down and enjoy his beverage.

"Thanks." The young man said. Cyborg replied, "No biggie." They sat there in silence for a few minutes before the young man spoke up again, but in a lowered tone due to their surroundings. "Excuse me for asking, but aren't you a former member of the Titans?" Cyborg covered his surprise well, even though many people did still remember his days with the Teen Titans back in Jump City.

"The NFL? Nah, man. I'm just a regular guy with a knack for tech." Cyborg said to the young man, who chuckled, looked around him, and then leaned over to Cyborg. When he did, he lowered his dark shades just a touch, allowing Cyborg to catch a hint of glowing purple eyes!

"No need to be jumpy, friend. I can keep a secret, especially when a hero like you drops by the City of Brotherly Love to renew his humanity." The words spoken by the young man carried a powerful, approving measure, and Cyborg could not help by smile at the compliment. The young man put his cup down, and offered Cyborg his hand. "Name's Obari. Nice to meet you." Looking at the hand, Cyborg smiled back as he grasped it, shaking it happily.

"Call me Stone. Better that than a horde of wild groupies dragging after me." The young man - Obari - chuckled before sipping his coffee. "I can imagine. Hmmm, this brew's not too bad, but I prefer tea myself when I really want to relax." Cyborg nodded.

"Where ya from, Obari?" Cyborg asked. "Kyoto, Shiga Prefecture." Cyborg paused at that statement, his neural matrix humming as it assessed Internet data on the place Obari told him about. "I see that the cherry blossoms are famous around there." Obari nodded in response.

"It was a great place to live, especially around Mt. Hiei. No offense to our generation, Stone, but a few moments of peace and quiet are good to have in between all of that Internet chatter in your ears." Stone chuckled in response.

"I can imagine; sometimes, I really wish I _could_ completely filter out the info in my head _now_." Obari clapped his hand on Cyborg's burly, disguised shoulder.

"Let me know if you want to try it out sometime." Obari said, plucking an embossed business card out of his inside jacket pocket and handing it to Stone. It read, '_Obari Ventures and investigations_.' Cyborg flipped it over to see the digits printed on the other side of the card.

"Heh, you're a P.I., pal?" Cyborg chuckled, and Obari smiled back, looking skyward after taking the last sip of his beverage. "I've had my share of heavy cases, Stone. A little time off is... always... good..." Obari suddenly trailed off, as he _felt_ something, his innate heightened perception alerting him that danger was coming.

"_Bagana_...(1)... _here_...?" Obari said out loud. As Obari got up suddenly, looking left and right, Cyborg got up as well, trying to see what was wrong.

"Hey, Obari? What's got you so spooked, man?" At that, Obari closed his eyes, bowed his head, and 'listened' with his inner self, seeking answers. What he soon found, he did not like one bit.

"Stone..." Obari spoke up. "... we've got _trouble_ coming our way. _Gear up_." Hearing those words from the young man, his eyes now aglow from behind his shades, quickly put Cyborg into a combat mind-set.

XXXXXX

"How can you tell, man?" Cyborg inquired, to which Obari quickly stepped over to his bike, placing his hand upon its chassis, and spoke in fluent Japanese. To Cyborg's own surprise, the motorcycle _hummed_ back at Obari, and the mysterious man understood it to boot! Obari then scowled to himself as he turned to Cyborg.

"Stone, have you had any dealings with magic and the supernatural?" At that inquiry from Obari, Stone arched an eyebrow before responding.

"My old pal Raven is a sorceress. Powerful one, too; been awhile since we knocked bad guys around together, but he gave me enough pointer to handle those kinds of threats if I ever ran into them on my own." Obari smiled at that.

"Good; whatever she taught you, start getting ready to make use of it, 'cause I think that we're-"

"_AAAIIIEEEEEEEEEE_!" The piercing scream that filled the air was followed by a fearful shout of "MONSTERS! _Run!_" "_Whoa_!" Cyborg exclaimed, while Obari tapped a panel on his ride, opening up a metallic side saddle to reveal a sheathed katana sword, and a collapsed crossbow.

"Time to get rolling, Stone." Obari ordered as he retrieved his weapons. "Just so you know, by the way, Obari's not my real name. I'll tell you what it is once we all get through this, without any casualties." Before Cyborg could inquire more on that, Obari was astride his bike, revving the throttle and reading a small display on the chassis. "The disturbance I'm picking up is three block east! You coming, Stone!?"

As Obari asked him that while belting on his katana and sliding the crossbow into a shoulder holster, Cyborg's sensors could see people clearing out of the area, running for their lives. Cyborg shrugged, and deactivated his cloaking field, revealing his grey-silver toned and upgraded cybernetic body for all to see. Obari nodded approvingly.

"I see that your father's greatly improved on the initial systems you had, Cyborg. It should prove more than enough to take out the trash." Obari said. "I assume that you have flight capabilities now?" Cyborg nodded, as twin boost thrusters emerged from his back, powering up and allowing him to hover a few feet off the ground.

"Let's move, Obari!" Obari nodded at Cyborg's confirmation, and peeled out on his ride, roaring away as Cyborg followed him in the air. They tore off around a few corners with ease, and soon pulled onto the street in question to see a small screeching mass of horn-beaked, wide-rimmed hat wearing creatures tearing the street apart with their short swords. They were also headed in the direction of a huddled, scared group of unarmed civilians hiding behind some thick bushes.

('Genma foot soldiers; I _hate_ being right.') Obari groaned to himself. Pulling his crossbow free and allowing it to snap into its active mode, Obari set his sights on his targets. "Those things are only reanimated organic material, Stone! With what Raven told you on how to apply your weapons to them, go full bore on them, and don't stop until they're dust! _Go_!" Cyborg's thrusters flared as he quickly powered up his weapon systems, and his targeting scanners picked his marks.

"On it! _Boo-Yah_!" Cyborg yelled as he and Obari engaged the creatures.

XXXXXX

Cyborg's upgraded Sonic Disruptor, along with his new Nova Blaster cannon mode, tore through one side of the Genma foot soldiers in seconds. The concentrated sound waves literally ripped the Genma apart with their intensity, while the Nova Blaster shots fried the screeching creatures to a crisp. Obari opened up on the middle section of the Genma with his crossbow. The barrel of Obari's weapon suddenly glowed with energy, and a flurry of energy 'bolts' lanced out, impaling several more Genma with multiple shots and with enough force to put them down to the ground permanently. ('Dang, wicked!') Cyborg thought as he fired off several micro-missiles from his shoulder launchers to halt the Genma advance.

"Cover me!" Obari hollered to Cyborg as he drove his motorcycle right at the remaining Genma soldiers, smashing through and over more of the Genma as he barreled into their ranks! Then, without missing a beat, Obari leaped off his bike into a perfect soaring back-flip, while still firing his crossbow at more Genma. Still in mid-air, Obari shouted out another command! "Accelous! _Mode shift_!"

As Obari landed, the racing motorcycle suddenly exploded into several spinning pieces, but quickly reformed themselves into an impressive equine automaton, complete with blue glowing eyes and a flaring white mane of synthetic fibers! As Cyborg hollered out his surprise with the word "_Awesome!_", the robotic horse stomped over to the humans taking cover, hiding them from the sight of the Genma before unleashing powerful pulse energy beams from its eyes! The beams easily incinerated any Genma who dared to attack them or the automaton now protecting them.

With the threatened humans safe from harm, Obari closed his crossbow and shouldered it into its holster. A second later, Obari unsheathed his sleek hi-tech katana blade, then pointed his open hand at the dying Genma before him. Instantly, those defeated Genma all burst into dust, flowing with streams of multi-colored lights, which suddenly _flowed_ right into Obari's raised palm!

Cyborg's jaw dropped, even as he targeted and blasted two more Genma, wondering just how the heck Obari had destroyed them, as well as what the hell he had absorbed from them moments later. As Cyborg flew off and landed near a new bunch of civilians who were being pinned down by a few Genma archers, Obari slashed through two more Genma attacking him, then blocked an sloppy overhead strike from a third Genma before vanishing from sight!

Even with his cybernetic eye, Cyborg could barely track Obari's movement as he lost sight of him. However, his audio receptors quickly picked up a series of powerful slashes all around the plaza. He also saw several Genma foot soldiers suddenly seize up in place, as if the life had been taken right out of them. Abruptly, Obari reappeared nearby Cyborg, his katana held low and to the side, right as the remainder of those Genma soldiers also burst into dust and more multi-colored lights!

With a swipe and clench of his open hand, Obari 'pulled' in all those streaming lights to himself once more, somehow absorbing them without any trouble. "Get the left flank before they fire their next volley!" Obari suddenly shouted, pointing toward the Genma archers still firing at them. "I'll take the right! Accelous! _Barriers!_"

The robot horse neighed at Obari's cry, forming protective energy fields around the two groups of civilians. As the flaming arrows of the Genma bounced away, Obari sheathed his katana, drew out his crossbow again, and perfectly skewered three Genma archers he saw with multiple energy 'bolts.' "Come on out, coward!" Obari shouted into the night air. "I _know_ you're here! Face me, if you dare!"

('Who's he talkin' to now?') Cyborg wondered as he picked off the remaining two Genma archers to his left. Obari had already closed and shouldered his crossbow, while one hand rested on the sheath of his katana, the other hand hovering over the hilt of his weapon, his senses alert to all aspects of his surroundings. Evidently, Obari's bellow had the intended effect he wanted it to. Suddenly, with speed rivalling Kid Flash, Cyborg saw Obari unsheathed his katana in an instant, deflecting away a thrown dagger from his head! "I see we have an Oni warrior in our midst, this day." A raspy voice sounded out, accompanied by a shadowy figure stepping out from the nearby alley. Obari's eyes quickly narrowed behind his shades, while Cyborg wondered how his scanners had missed this new enemy.

"A Three-Eyes; stands to reason such an attack by just Genma foot soldiers and archers would be put into play by _your_ kind." The undead ninja Genma frowned behind his mask at the shot.

"I need no aid to kill one like you." Obari grinned, even as his shades themselves glowed with blue light, transforming into a sleek face-covering helmet!

"I can sense them as easily as I can smell _you_, Genma. _You_ should know better than to try and face _me_ alone." Obari replied, focusing his inner strength to his hand, and the shimmering Oni brand on his palm. "**_Buraitou !_**" Obari shouted, and at that command, his sheathed katana vanished from his side! It was replaced by a blue mist that encircled Obari's hand, then spread out and vanished, leaving a larger, but more elegant katana in his hand, aglow and crackling with electricity!

"_Bagana_...!"(1) The Three-Eyes whispered, but Cyborg still heard him. "You... you are one of them...! _Onimusha!_"

Obari was still grinning at the stunned Three-Eyes, even as the Genma's compatriots appeared behind the undead ninja. Perfectly balancing his godfather's weapon, the sleek 'Dancing Thunder Sword' in his hands, Obari took up his battle stance.

"_Come and get me._" The two Three-Eyes behind the first one instantly rushed Obari, sliding along the ground as if it was made of pure ice, leaving their leader to gauge their result as they attacked their mortal enemy. The first Three-Eyes stabbed down at Obari with its weapon, but the swordsman was infinitely faster, blocking the attack aside with his new sword and whirling into a perfect vertical slash that struck the second charging Three-Eyes, splitting him in half!

Then, before the remaining Three-Eyes could turn to attack his opponent again, Obari reversed his arcane blade and stabbed behind him, skewering the shocked Three-Eyes in mid-turn! Both turned to dust seconds later, and again, Obari somehow absorbed the red, yellow, and blue flickering lights they left behind into his empty hand! With only one Genma left on the battlefield now, Obari's steely gaze never left the Three-Eye's position across the street.

"Tell me who sent you, _vermin,_ and your end with be swift." Obari growled, but the last Three-Eyes, to his credit, shook his head. "_For the Genma!_" The undead ninja shouted as he suddenly slid right across the ground, just like his dead allies, only for his attack to be turned aside just the same, right before he was introduced to a quick forward stab from Obari!

A rapid barrage of lightning-infused strikes from Obari suddenly assaulted the Genma soldier from every angle possible! The last thing the defeated Three-Eyes saw was a huge lightning bolt falling from heaven with Obari's final blow, that turned him to ash!

XXXXXX

Obari stood where he had felled the last Genma Three-Eyes, still making sure he drew in any lingering, freed red 'souls' for later use, while the yellow 'souls' restored his stamina and health. The blue 'souls' he took in refreshed the magical energies expended by him using the Buraitou's power, while Obari extended his senses once more to see if there were any remaining Genma in the area.

Thankfully, the ethereal pressure of attempts by more Genma to break into the human world were gone now, and Obari could no longer smell their stench. ('We're in the clear, for now.') He mused to himself. Turning to look over at Cyborg, who was performing med scans on the civilians, Obari relaxed and dispelled the Buraitou back into his inner spirit, retrieving his regular sleek katana and letting it return to his belt. Then, Obari walked over to Cyborg.

"How are they, Cyborg?" Cyborg's red cybernetic eye finished glowing, and the solemn hero responded to Obari's question.

"Bumps and bruises, scrapes and cuts, but otherwise, no casualties." Cyborg stated as he stood up, checking his arm computer. Obari nodded.

"Fates be praised." Obari replied.

"I'm picking up police band reports, and this area was the only one those bug-brains came out at, and attacked. The rest of the district is clear." Cyborg said. Obari took in a deep breath of relief.

"Good. This may have been just a scouting mission for them, but to beat them back, and without anyone dying, is a welcome victory for us, Cyborg." Obari gladly replied as he stepped over to check on the tall robotic equestrian. "All systems good, Accelous?" The Oni warrior asked, to which the robotic horse nuzzled his chest. "Good; I'm glad."

Just then, Obari's senses twitched, and he looked over his shoulder at Cyborg, who now had a targeting laser locked on his back. "Man, we need to _talk_." Obari remained calm as he slowly turned to face Cyborg, hands still at his sides.

"You'll have your answers soon enough, Cyborg. But, _now_ is _not_ the time." Obari said to his concerned ally. "I have to report in with my own people, as do you, and I can't delay with this information." Cyborg frowned, his targeting beam never wavering from Obari's chest.

"I can't just let you wander off, man, not after what happened here. The authorities will want to know what those things were, so you're coming-" Cyborg started, only to be cut off by a fierce glare from Obari, his glowing eyes focused on him.

"**No**, Cyborg. I'm not coming with you." Obari replied sternly. "All you need to know, to research and prepare for what's coming, are these words: 'Genma,' 'monsters,' 'Kyoto,' and the year 1598. You'll find out everything you need to know about those evil beasts and their purpose, and _then_, you and I will see each other again, Cyborg. This little trip those creatures made today? It's only the _beginning_ of what is to come."

Obari finished speaking to an incredulous Cyborg, then snapped his fingers, prompting the robotic horse - Accelous - to transform back into its sleek motorcycle mode. Once that was done, Obari spoke again to Cyborg.

"Talk to your old friends, Cyborg. Tell them to be prepared from now on... and inform the squires of the Dark Knight, that they will have answers _after_ I have them, not one single seconds sooner." Obari stated as he seated himself on his transformed steed, gripping the handlebars as the sentient vehicle's turbine rumbled to life.

"How will I find you?" Cyborg inquired as he heard the approach of ambulance sirens in the distance.

"I'll find you, Cyborg, and your allies. That's a promise, for you will need my help as much as I will need yours." Obari said. "Take care, and watch your back. The Genma despise humanity, my friend, so they _will_ return, and so shall I." With that Obari peeled out again, and left Cyborg alone in the plaza, wondering what the heck was going on now in the world he knew.

XXXXXX

Wow... did this one last a while, but it had to be done to let everyone know just how big the role 'Obari' is going to have in the coming chapters, and when the Team and the Justice League finally meet him. Hope you all enjoyed this, but man, I'm beat! Later!

(1) I do believe that means 'impossible.' Don't shoot me; I'm extremely bad at Japanese grammar and translations.


	4. Chapter 4

Again, same disclaimer as before, gang: I don't own anything of the Onimusha series of games; Capcom does. Nor do I own anything within DC (Detective Comics) or Young Justice, for that matter. Only my OCs belong to my mind. Enjoy.

* * *

(''): Mental thoughts

("CAPS"): Council thoughts

XXXXXX

Onimusha: The Return

4. Team Meetings, Future Ideals

_One week after the Genma attack in Philadelphia..._

High in orbit around the planet Earth, the Justice League's Watchtower silently spun on its axis, keeping watch on its home world below. Aboard the massive station, a few of the founding members of the League were meeting with the majority of the covert 'Team' of younger heroes - led by Aqualad and Robin - and one other: Cyborg. The senior members present at the moment - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Dr. Fate, and Zatanna - were all seated at one table, while the 'Team' were all seated across from their for this emergency session.

The 'Team' members there - Robin Aqualad, Miss Martian, Superboy, Beast Boy, Blue Beetle, Impulse, and Wonder Girl - and Cyborg were all there to here with the League to evaluate their newest contact from the incident in Philly. After reacquainting himself with Beast Boy and Aqualad, and shaking hands with the new Robin (Tim Drake), Cyborg had begun to describe the young man he had met in downtown Philadelphia, as well as supplying visual images from his data banks of what he looked like.

Batman's hands were flying across a holographic screen before him, searching for anything relevant on this 'Obari' character. "I've found no basic profile information on this person, Cyborg, and as to how he may have metahuman abilities, his electronic trail is literally non-existent." The Dark Knight commented, prompting Aqualad to speak up as Batman continued his search.

"Could he be someone that the Reach experimented on, Batman, but escaped before any type of indoctrination could be done?" Cyborg shook his head at the Atlantean's insight into his 'ally.'

"Doubt it, AQ." Cyborg pulled up an image of Obari's motorcycle from his memory banks, displaying it before them. "That hi-tech Harley of his had absolutely no similarities to any Reach tech that I've got on record. In fact, I'll bet that two-wheeled curb-stomper was equipped with its own A.I., from the way it acted."

"A sentient machine, you say?" Wonder Woman asked. "Is that not something that only Amazo's creator and Professor Morrow were capable of?" Superman rubbed his chin at that, then spoke to Cyborg.

"Did your audio sensors pick up any telltale signs of that fact, Cyborg?" Cyborg's jaw just dropped as his mind processed Superman's words.

"No, it didn't, Big Blue. I mean, my sensors _did_ pick up several energy wavelengths that were surrounding it, almost as if... _whoa_!" Cyborg cried. "Of course!"

"What, Cyborg?" The Last Son of Krypton inquired as Cyborg reviewed his data banks, his cybernetic eye glowing.

"The energy streams, Big Blue!" Cyborg exclaimed. "They were moving like a circulatory system around the bike!" Everyone looked surprised at that revelation, but Zatanna and Dr. Fate appeared very intrigued instead. The Helmet of Nabu glowed before Fate spoke up to the group.

"A living mystical construct, my colleagues." The avatar of the Lord of Order stated to everyone. "That is what you saw and fought alongside, Cyborg, and it was of an ancient power that the human race has not seen for many generations on this world. That much is certain."

"You're sure of this, Fate? How do we track it down?" Dr. Fate looked over at Batman, and the Dark Knight immediately understood, as did Robin.

"We don't, huh, guys?" Batman nodded at Robin's observation.

"What about those words he told you to research, Cyborg?" Miss Martian asked, even as the hands of the Dark Knight kept working on his console.

"Oh, yeah." Cyborg chuckled to himself as he recalled what Obari had told him before leaving the area after the battle. "Let's see... 'Genma,' 'Oni,'... 'Onimusha,' '_Buraitou_,'... monsters, which is self-explanatory here, and... oh, I also heard him say 'Kyoto,' and the year 1598."

"We'll get to work on that intel on our end, Team." Batman stated to them. "For now, keep your communicators at the ready for new intel on this individual. That's all. See you all at next check-in." With that, the younger heroes nodded, and dispersed back to the main areas of the Tower, leaving the senior members to their discussions about this new person.

XXXXXX

As the Team and Cyborg departed from the Watchtower via Zeta Beam, Superman, Batman, and the others remained to review their findings. Wonder Woman, Zatanna and Fate were the ones most intrigued by the level of mystical energies that were present when the young man, now classified as 'Obari, the Onimusha' in their databases, had displayed to Cyborg.

"Where would you and Zatanna classify these energy wavelengths, Fate?" The Dark Knight asked, still in detective mode as he worked on the holographic screen, updating and quantifying Obari's profile further. The two magic-users looked at each other, then at the Amazon Princess nearby.

"_Far_ older than the mystical signatures of the Olympians, Batman." Fate replied, prompting Diana to gasp at the implication.

"By Hera!" The Amazon ambassador exclaimed. "The boy wields powers as great as that of the Greek gods themselves!?" Zatanna nodded at Diana's retort.

"Yes, Princess; the best word to describe the energies that Cyborg recorded, and that we can still sense from that area now, is _primordial_." The lovely Homo Magi replied as she rubbed her temples. "Those energies are likely as old as the Earth itself, if our guess is correct. He could likely equal the powers of the Titans themselves."

Batman arched an eyebrow, his eyes already having determined new intel from what they now knew. "From what I've been able to gather, the Genma scourge were indeed a historical blight back in Japan, around the end of the 1500's. But, as to how they were finally defeated in the past, and by whom, only one word comes up to describe the force that destroyed them in the end." Superman spoke up at that.

"'_Oni'_..." The Kryptonian said. "... the Japanese word for 'demon.'"

"And, their chosen champion: 'Onimusha,' the 'Demon Warrior.'" Batman replied, tapping a few holo-keys to bring up a grainy image from an old history book. It depicted a being with glowing white eyes, flowing white hair reaching down his back, a shimmering grey gauntlet upon his right forearm, and a powerful-looking Japanese broadsword in his grasp. All the League members present gasped, including Diana.

"Athena, be merciful..." Diana murmured. "... he looks like an avenging demon who tore his way free from Tartarus."

"Many people likely thought the same thing, Diana, but the historical records I've been able to access clearly portray the Oni as benevolent to humanity." Batman stated from his console. "The instances of rogue Oni attacking humans are limited to only a small few. The Genma, however, are the ones who continually sought to destroy, consume, and subjugate humans." The League nodded at that before Batman continued on.

"Still, without solid evidence to support all this, it's best to remain vigilant when Obari pops up again on our radar." Zatanna half-frowned at the Dark Knight.

"Ever the pragmatist, Bats?" Zatanna grinned as Batman glared at her.

"Ever the realist, 'Zana. Expect the best, but always plan for the worst." Both Zatanna and Diana sighed exasperatedly at the Dark Knight's reply.

"All done, Bruce?" Superman commented as Batman dispelled his holo-screen, and stood up from his seat.

"The file on Obari is loaded, encrypted, and waiting for updates, Kent." Batman said as he checked his gauntlet-computer. "I have patrols to begin in Gotham. Keep me posted if anything comes up on your end." As the emotionless Dark Knight headed off, Zatanna and Diana rolled their eyes at their comrade's abrupt departure.

"Some things never change." Zatanna said to the air as she and the rest of the League got up and headed out of the meeting room.

XXXXXX

A short while later, back at the fully rebuilt Mount Justice base in Happy Harbor, Rhode Island, the 'Team' was up and congregating: both to acclimate themselves more with the new surroundings, and to induct yet another new - but seasoned - hero into their growing ranks.

"Bee!" Cyborg called out as he saw the yellow and black striped heroine. "Been way too long, girl!"

"Stone!" Bumblebee replied, flitting over to happily hug Cyborg as he stepped out and off of the Zeta Beam platforms. "Where you been hiding, Sparky?" Cyborg chuckled at her old nickname for him.

"Dad's been servicing and upgrading all my systems, and the chassis, girl." Flexing his armored arms, Cyborg struck a pose. "I can even hack a few more alien OS's from last time, and my neural matrix is ten times more extensive, and faster than before. Really helps me use all the new weapons systems Dad invented."

"Any new games under the hood, Cy?" Beast Boy quipped toward Cyborg, to which the cybernetic hero _glared_ at the shape-shifter.

"You try _that_ again, grass-stain...!" Beast Boy quickly darted away and under the nearest counter at the intense glare Cyborg gave him. The entire piece began shaking as Beast Boy hid from Cyborg's potential wrath.

"I was _kidding_, Cyborg! Just kidding! _Honest!_" Beast Boy wailed. "I learned my lesson not to mess with your systems, _especially_ any of your onboard tech!" As the table kept shaking, Cyborg shook his head, prompting Aqualad to step forth and _gently_ haul Beast Boy back to his feet.

"Are you done, Gar? We do have patrols to more out on." The Atlantean's tone quickly snapped Beast Boy back to reality, especially when Superboy and Miss Martian came in from the ops room.

"Batman finished uploading the data profile on Cyborg's new friend to us." The cloned Kryptonian stated. "Let's move."

XXXXXX

The patrols were quickly broken out to everyone there: Unit One was composed of Robin, Tigress, Blue Beetle, and Beast Boy, tasked to check on the city proper. Unit Two had Aqualad, Kid Flash (Bart Allen), Wonder Girl, and Batgirl, who were scouting out the coastlines. Unit Three held the remaining members - Miss Martian, Superboy, Cyborg, and Bumblebee, - who set off to listen for any silent alarms in the financial district.

The 'Team' had been deployed for less than an hour, but no one spotted a lone figure hidden on a warehouse rooftop, a pair of stealth binoculars in his grasp. For Obari - the figure in question - he was glad he was here tonight, since it allowed him to see the younger heroes who would one day soon be his allies. Next to him, a second person stood in silence, cloaked from view like Obari, but with platinum-colored lightning bolts on the side of his covered head under his hood.

The second figure smiled fondly as his own goggle optics recognized the lithe form of Tigress following Robin's lead. "She's still alive, thank God." Obari easily smiled when he heard his companion speak up.

"Then, my brother in arms, I will be honored to have the opportunity to reunite you with your heart's treasure... but in due time." Obari replied. "We shall maintain our distance from them for now. The temporal resonance is moving ahead of the first group, the one with your 'Tigress,' but their own movements are driving the resonance right toward the coastline." Obari's companion nodded.

"Then, judging by that, and from what I've learned hanging out with you..." The hooded person said, getting a huff from Obari. "... they're planning a perfect pincer move on those monsters. Either the Genma haven't noticed it yet... "

"... or they're planning on testing our friends." Obari finished. Packing away his binocs, he rose to his feet, checking his sheathed katana and holstered crossbow before turning to look at his friend.

"Well then, let's show them what happens when uninvited guests crash our patrols, eh, Kyo?" Obari smiled again at his companion.

"Fine by me... West." Obari said, and the two companions headed off.

Meanwhile, Unit One was quickly following Blue Beetle's lead, his scanners picking up on the very strange temporal distortions the moment they spiked. Robin was not one to waste time; he quickly alerted the other two teams of it. With all other sectors of the city confirmed to be clear, the 'Team' moved in to complete their evaluation, remaining on guard against attacks, but never suspecting that two more allies were waiting to aid them in the fight to come.

Over their communicators, even as they approached the rendezvous point, Robin checked in with Cyborg. "Hey, Cy, these distortions reading like the ones you and 'Obari' ran into down in Philly?"

"Affirmative, Boy Wonder, right down to their movements." Cyborg replied, confirming his scans over a separate channel with Blue Beetle. "It's building up, likely about to form a stable portal pretty soon, and that worries me."

"Why, _amigo_?" Blue Beetle called back, refining his scans through his Scarab armor to be sure of their position.

"Because what Obari and I fought against in Philly, Beetle, were only the foot soldiers of these 'Genma' creatures." Cyborg replied. "_He_ took down those three enhanced beasties; 'Three-Eyes,' he called them, and he did _not_ like them at all."

"No kidding." Blue Beetle called in again as Robin checked their position in relation to the approaching rendezvous. " I saw those scans, _hermano_. He was not happy to see those _diablos_. _Que?_... _Un momento, amigos!_... Got it! Cyborg! _Tu tambien!?_"

"Yep! Sending coördinates now!" Cyborg replied. "All Units, prepare to move in on my count! Standard holding pattern, Team, and full alert status! These things are seriously nasty! Rob, Tigress, BB, Batgirl: keep moving if we engage, and hit them until they _stay_ down! Everyone else: your powers should affect them well enough to put them out of the fight! _Go_!"

Sure enough, in an empty parking lot, several groups of hissing Genma foot soldiers and Genma archers had appeared through forming portals, looking around for any humans to slaughter. However, these Genma had also been joined by FIVE fearsome Genma axemen moments later, as well as three Three-Eye, and two Dark Crows, more powerful and more agile versions of the Three-Eyes. The enhanced Three-Eyes were already flapping their wings, getting used to the lower air pressures before taking to the skies above to wreak havoc.

Unfortunately for those two Dark Crows, they were abruptly blasted out of the air by energy blasts and sonic disruptor bolts before they could even react! The other present Genma quickly turned to see Blue Beetle and Cyborg hovering nearby, and many of the undead creatures growled and hissed fiercely at them. They knew that the enhanced technology of the two heroes made them much harder to sense.

"If I were any of you, ya ugly mothers, I'd go back to where you came from, before we send you back there, on the end of an ass-whuppin'." Cyborg said coldly, the hum of his armed Sonic Disruptor loud and proud.

"You heard him, _diablos. Vamos!_" Blue Beetle followed by snapping out crackling blades on his left arm, to complement his right arm, which was still morphed into its beam cannon mode.

Even as the Genma hissed and screeched in response over the 'deaths' of their two decaying brethren, the rest of the Team took up their positions. Superboy smacked his fists together, creating a small sonic boom, while Miss Martian flexed her telekinetic energies in her hands, the air twisting as she viewed her opponents.

"Sounds like they wanna' rumble, eh, M?" Kon-El stated out loud.

"Fine by me; bring it on, you zombies!" Miss Martian answered. And so, the newest battle in Happy Harbor began.

XXXXXX

The Genma foot soldiers rushed first at the 'Team,' while the archers unleashed a hail of flaming arrows into the air. Robin, Batgirl, and Tigress met the foot soldiers in earnest, their combat training and fighting skills allowing them to hold their own against the reanimated creatures. Beast Boy, meanwhile, morphed himself into a green-hued, silverback gorilla, and promptly laid the smack down on any Genma who came his way.

Aqualad formed his water-bearers into curved short axes, chopping down any Genma who dared attack the Atlantean, while Wonder Girl took turns blocking away flaming arrows and sword stabs with her bracelets. She then went on the offensive, returning the favor with devastating punches and kicks. Kid Flash dashed into their midst, Genma soldiers falling left and right to his momentum-enhanced blows. The inherent strength of the Speed Force within Kid Flash felled the Genma like hay in the fire.

Bumblebee covered Kid Flash, her stingers flaring again and again with severe and precise bio-electric blasts, turning charging Genma soldiers and archers to quivering heaps of stunned corpses. Blue Beetle and Cyborg remained airborne, their targeting systems and weaponry easily repelling the fusillade of flaming arrows, while launching aerial assaults of their own upon the assembled Genma.

Meanwhile, Miss Martian watched Superboy's back, who charged at the Genma axemen holding back, and leveled one of them with a wicked haymaker. She, in turn, used her TK to repel away two of the approaching Three-Eyes, before catching a third one of them and crushing it into powder.

Obari and his companion 'West' had already moved closer to the fight, waiting for the right moment to join in and aid them against the Genma. Obari discreetly used his absorption ability to collect the huge amount of swirling red, yellow, and blue energies in their midst, and was rewarded for his patience when he also gathered up two very large purple-hued energy masses.

Those violet masses were the catalyst for his more powerful transformation, but he needed three more of them for that, so he would have to wait and see. Presently, as they saw Superboy slam down another Genma axeman, with Miss Martian using her TK as a shield to block attacks from the remaining Three-Eyes, Obari _felt_ it: more Genma were coming through in seconds, and right then and there, Tigress was being crowded to where the portal would appear.

"West, get down there and guard your heart's treasure; they're trying to box her in near the portal." West nodded at his comrade's order.

"Got it." Obari then quickly added an important detail to his command.

"And, for _both_ our sakes, goggles down, mask on, and _don't_ say anything that she'll remember belongs to your memory." The hooded West frowned, but quickly pulled down his combat goggles over his eyes, and slid up his face guard, completely obscuring his features from view. "Go, Red Ghost: _full throttle_." Obari finished, and after a quick nod from West, the hooded hero sped away from Obari's position like a lightning bolt.

Obari then tapped his belt, which dispelled a mystical cloaking spell on himself. Doing so also revealed his streamlined samurai-style combat armor, designed for modern times, and complete with a sleek helmet that hid his eyes from view. His hi-tech katana was strapped to his waist, and his arcane crossbow was slung over his shoulder. "Time to move; come forth! _Senpumaru!_" Obari shouted, focusing his inner spirit as he had done when he and Cyborg and fought the Genma before.

Below in the fight, Superboy was grappling with one of the last Genma axemen, straining against the supernatural creature due to his innate weakness against magic. But, when his enhanced hearing picked up on a burst of crackling energy coming from the forming portal only a few meters behind Tigress, he shouted out a warning as he did his best to push his way past the growling Genma creäture! "Tigress! _Incoming!_"

After dispatching a few foot soldiers, Tigress suddenly found herself facing off against a much larger group of Genma on her own, and saw that they were about to be reinforced by a new group of Three-Eyes coming out of the portal. "Tigress! Watch out!" Robin shouted as he tried to hack his way to her, but too many Genma blocked his path, and no one else was close enough.

Tigress braced herself for the rush of ground-sliding Genma coming at her, only for _something_ to snatch her up and out of harm's way, right before a _massive_ cyclone spun into being right before her eyes! The abrupt whirlwind hurled the entire group of shocked Three-Eyes skyward! As the emerald energies within the tornado tore into the Genma inside it, a lone figure landed in their midst, brandishing a double-bladed silver and green _naginata_ staff that swirled with air currents around its length.

"Senpumaru! _Gale Saber!_" The person shouted before spinning his weapon once, and hurling an emerald-hued spiral of wind currents at the remaining Genma axemen before him! The attack tore into them again and again, until nothing remained but dust and swirling lights. With a flick of his empty hand, the person pulled all those floating lights right into his palm like a vacuüm. The 'Team' instantly knew who this new person among them was.

Only ten Genma soldiers and two axemen remained in the parking lot now, and the 'Team' had them surrounded. Blue Beetle and Cyborg both kept target locks on the dying portal to make sure that no more reinforcements came through, while the others stayed ready for action, thankfully able to catch their breath after the newcomer's prompt arrival to the battle.

XXXXXX

When she got her bearings, Tigress found herself perched on a picnic table, none the worse for wear, but in the distance, she could have sworn that she saw a black and red _blur_ disappearing into the city. ('How...? Who _was_ that?') She mused to herself, and yet in her heart of hearts, she felt something... _familiar._ ('No, it just _couldn't_ be him... he died during the invasion... right? ... Wally...') Tigress could only wonder as Bumblebee and Batgirl moved in to see if she was okay.

Meanwhile, Superboy, Aqualad, Beast Boy, Robin, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash, and Miss Martian, along with the armored man holding the emerald _naginata_, stared down the last remaining Genma. Then, the newcomer spoke up, his tone firm and fierce to the undead creatures.

"Your time here is finished. Leave now, or be destroyed." The Genma hissed at the bold warrior's words, but his battle stance never wavered an inch. Under his breath, Obari quickly whispered out his plan to Superboy. "Take the axeman on the left with your Martian ally, Kryptonian. I'll take the right one, and your teammates can handle the rest of these vermin. Ready?"

Superboy grinned in response, happy to pound on another one of these disgusting monsters. The Genma roared out their reply and charged, and the 'Team' - with Obari at their side - answered them in kind. Superboy caught the Genma axeman's opening swing by grabbing the handle of the descending weapon, halting it in mid-strike, his teeth gritting as he held his own against the growling Genma.

Miss Martian guarded his back as he faced off against the burly Genma, blasting any foot soldiers with her TK who tried to blind side Superboy. Just then, as Obari began to block away the blows of the last Genma axeman, Superboy roared out in exertion at his opponent, right as a surge of _something_ went through the Kryptonian clone's hands, utterly disintegrating the Genma's hands!

Shocked stiff by what had happened, Superboy missed the limbless Genma kicking him backwards, but Miss Martian quickly TK-blasted the creäture away from Conner, and right into the range of Obari's now-swirling wind tunnel. As the last few Genma foot soldiers and the defeated axemen were crushed into nothingness by Obari's deadly wind attack, the rest of the 'Team' converged on Superboy to see if he was okay.

"Are you all right!?" Miss Martian cried as she quickly levitated down to Conner, while Cyborg and Blue Beetle made sure the area was clear of any other Genma.

"What happened, man?" Robin inquired as he joined his friends, double-checking his own gauntlet computer's readings.

"I... I don't know..." Superboy replied, his lips moving as he stared down at his hands, and wondered what that was. Then, a calm voice spoke up among them.

"Perhaps... I can help." Obari said as he slowly approached the young heroes, stopping to calmly banish the humming Senpumaru from his grasp.

"You're... Obari, right?" Batgirl asked, her hands hanging loosely by her utility belt as she eyed Obari. He nodded, then responded by tapping the side of his helmet, causing it to quickly retract itself into a simple facial mask, revealing the tall, midnight black top-knot ponytail trailing down the back of his head.

"How goes it, Cyborg?" Obari commented. "Or, would 'Stone' suffice better here, with your friends and allies?" Obari's words rang true to Cyborg, as did his voice patterns when Cyborg compared them to his memory banks. It was the same warrior who had helped Cyborg fight against the Genma in Philadelphia, no doubt about it.

"Man, O, just how many weapons you _got_ on you?" Cyborg asked as Obari checked his sheathed weapons on his back and hip.

"Enough for the long haul, Cy. For now, how about we just check on your friend here and see how he is, hmm?" Obari replied, even though Superboy gave him a half-glare.

"I _don't_ like being poked and prodded." The Kryptonian clone firmly stated, to which Obari shook his head.

"I'm planning on doing nothing of the sort, my good man." Superboy frowned at Obari's reply.

"Kon-El." Superboy said. "_That's_ my name." To that retort, Obari respectfully bowed toward Superboy.

"And I am quite honored to know it, and you, Kon-El." Obari said. "Everyone, Cyborg knows me as Obari. But, after all this, as well as what happened in Philadelphia, it's high time that you know my real name." Obari took up a warrior's stance, and bowed to them all once more. "Kyosuke Tenkai, chosen warrior of the Oni Council, the latest one to be named... Onimusha." Looking over at Miss Martian, the revealed Kyosuke bowed again.

"I am also quite honored to meet one of the Martian people. You do your uncle proud every time you face down evil, my dear." Kyosuke said. "Besides, your talents will help us understand what is occurring with your friend Kon-El here."

"_Me_? How?" Miss Martian replied, confused at Kyosuke's words. The Oni warrior calmly answered her quick response.

"If I suspect correctly, Miss Martian, in time, your friend here will soon be developing new abilities, and in the very near future." Kyosuke said.

"_New_ abilities?" Robin asked. ""But, both Batman and Atom concluded that Superboy couldn't age any further, not to mention gain new powers." Kyosuke nodded at the new Boy Wonder.

"That may be true, Robin, but _human_ evolution can always have _mutations_ to its own existence." Obari replied. "I suspect that when Superboy here was being 'engineered,' per say, they did not take that into account, nor did they both to see if _Kryptonian_ DNA could benefit from such a mutation. Though now, I would probably call what is going on with Kon-El an _evolution_ of his abilities."

"You're obviously more than you appear to be, Tenkai." Tigress piped in with a slightly insulting tone, prompting Kyosuke to nod.

"A warrior's education leaves _nothing_ overlooked in its scope... _Miss Crock_." The last two words from Kyosuke were gently said, but the group flinched at what the Oni warrior had revealed to them.

"You... you know...?" Batgirl replied, a Batarang already in hand, and Kyosuke nodded again.

"Yes. And, what have I done with said knowledge...?" The group was silent at Kyosuke's quick reply, allowing him to continue on. "Indeed; _nothing_. We all have reasons why we do what we do, and the secrets we keep are proof of that." Kyosuke paused after saying that, then calmly gestured toward a thick treeline nearby with his head. "Isn't that right... **Batman**?"

The whole 'Team' gasped at _that_ bold statement from Kyosuke, but were silenced by the firm, low-toned response from the shadows. "How long were you aware that I was here, Mr. Kyosuke Tenkai?" With those gravelly words, the Dark Knight himself emerged from the darkness to stand before the 'Team' and Kyosuke.

XXXXXX

While the rest of the 'Team' shook off their surprise at Batman's appearance, Robin just facepalmed himself. "You just arrived here, after the Watchtower tracked Kyosuke's own mystical signature, right?" Batman nodded at his newest protegé's deduction, his eyes never wavering from their focus on Kyosuke, who amazingly remained stoic and patient under the Dark Knight's fearsome gaze.

"You said, 'an evolution of Kon-El's abilities.' Why do you suspect that?" Batman stated, to which Kyosuke simply folded his eyes across his chest before responding.

"As in all things created and given life, in any universe, Batman, nature will _always_ find a way. May I?" Batman watched Kyosuke warily as he approached Superboy, with Miss Martian standing by. Slowly raising his right arm up, Kyosuke closed his eyes and spoke out loud in Japanese. Batman quickly translated the words in his mind:

('By the will of the Oni, manifest thyself. Gauntlet of the Oni.')

At that request, energy swirled into being around Kyosuke's right arm, forming into a sleek armored gauntlet moments later, with an curved oval extension over the back of his hand! "This..." Kyosuke began. "... is the physical representation of an ancient and sacred contract between humanity and the Oni, forever vowing to aid them against evil, and against the threat of the Genma." At those words, the oval extension on the gauntlet 'blinked' at all of them!

"Whoa! That thing's _alive_!?" Tigress exclaimed, only to get twin death-glares from _both_ the Dark Knight and Kyosuke.

"Does not the Helmet of Fate channel the will and spirit of a Lord of Order?" Kyosuke curtly replied, prompting Tigress to quickly button up her lip.

"Go on." Batman said. Looking at Batman once more, Kyosuke continued on.

"You may monitor the scan I'll perform here on Superboy with any of your gadgets, Batman." Kyosuke said before turning to Miss Martian, and speaking again. "Miss Martian, you may follow the scan's intent with your telepathy... but remember this: we are here to help HIM..." Kyosuke pointed at Superboy. "... _not_ for you to attempt to look into _my_ mind, or to try and discern the sacred life-force of the gauntlet. Agreed?"

Miss Martian nodded, her surprise evident on her face at Kyosuke's deduction of her possible actions and intentions.

"Can we get this over with already?" Superboy growled. Kyosuke simply smiled, and nodded at the Kryptonian's irritation.

"As you wish; now, Kon-El, please pass your hand over the eye of the gauntlet. It will not scan your mind, but rather, it will read only the living aura of your body. Then, it will tell us what is going on with you." Nodding at Kyosuke's explanation, Superboy did so, and a moment later, a gold and blue aura came into being around him, while the ancient gauntlet hummed in response.

Batman quickly took out a particular scanning device from his belt to oversee what was going on, while Miss Martian's eyes glowed white. Kyosuke was silent as the gauntlet continued its inspection, and then spoke up. "I see. Display a visual image here, one that only all of us can see." The gauntlet's calm tune changed for a moment, and then, a shimmering orb appeared above it!

The orb replayed images of Superboy's life: from his escape from Cadmus; his joining the others as part of the 'Team'; and a few other moments of his life, including one of the times he made use of the 'shield' boosters he had gotten from Lex Luthor. Superboy quickly frowned at that, mindful of his failures as much as his growth among the others as friends and family.

Then, the orb shifted its shape, becoming a ghostly image of a multi-helical DNA strand, and both Kyosuke and Batman inspected it very closely before the Oni champion spoke up to them all. "I was right. Kon-El, your Kryptonian DNA, through its combination with the human DNA at your germination, with your usage of those shields that were made to suppress your human DNA in your lifetime, has _evolved_ by incorporating the human DNA fragment _directly_ into its own structure."

Batman arched up an eyebrow, silently noting Kyosuke's advanced understanding of biology and genetics. ('He is _far_ more than he has shown us.') The Dark Knight thought to himself as Kyosuke continued to study the image before them all.

"So, _how_ was I able to do what I did to that creäture?" Superboy asked. Kyosuke paused to listen to the gauntlet's humming once more, then answered Kon-El's question.

"As the human DNA is fully melding with your Kryptonian DNA, Kon-El, it is triggering an ongoing evolution in you, one that will allow you to further emulate more of your innate Kryptonian abilities." Batman spoke next at that statement.

"Are you suggesting that Kon-El's body will produce a different phenomenon that will allow him similar abilities to Superman?" Kyosuke nodded at Batman.

"Yes, Batman, I am." Kyosuke replied, reaching up over his gauntlet and gently turning the glowing image. "If my assumption is correct - and the Oni Gauntlet's observations are quite dead-on - then Kon-El will likely develop powerful physical-based psychic phenomenons that will approximate the normal powers of a full Kryptonian."

"How so?" Miss Martian asked, her eyes full of wonder at looking at the image before them all, and Kyosuke calmly answered back.

"Advanced telekinetic-based flight capabilities, near equal to Superman, as well as what we all saw: his 'tactile telekinesis,' a disruptive touch that can pulverize most targets that he touches when he wills it." Kyosuke stated. "Also, he should develop a telekinetic bio-energy field that will greatly magnify his strength, endurance, and durability to said near-Kryptonian levels. And, most prominent of all, Kon-El should soon develop a type of telekinetic and concussive force blast ability that he will be able to direct through his eyes, granting him offensive optic skills like Superman."

Hearing all this, Superboy looked up in wonder at Kyosuke. "I... I can truly be, like him, in the future?" Kyosuke smiled as he dispelled the image.

"Kon-El, you will be, just as you already are, a true credit to the House of El, regardless of how you came into being." Kyosuke commented.

XXXXXX

The 'Team' was all congratulating Kon-El on his potential being realized, especially Miss Martian, who hugged him tight. Kyosuke had stepped away from them, dispelling the Oni Gauntlet from his arm, while summoning his sentient motorcycle from a hiding place nearby. Batman remained silent, slowly observing Kyosuke as the Oni champion checked the small display on its chassis.

"Aren't you going to _invite_ me back to your Watchtower, Batman?" Kyosuke asked as he stowed his hi-tech katana back into its saddlebag, but kept his retracted crossbow slung on his back. Batman's eyes narrowed, but in deliberation, not distrust.

"My research indicates that you would pose an unacceptable risk to the safety of the personnel there, and the Watchtower itself, should you be... _provoked_." Kyosuke turned around, leaning against his motorcycle as he gazed back at the Dark Knight.

"And I know of ancient ninja masters who would be highly jealous of _your_ impressive skills in battle, Batman... and also, how they would be greatly honored to know that you are upholding such a legacy with your actions." Batman arched his eyebrow again behind his cowl as Kyosuke settled into the bike's seat.

"Have your magically adept allies being their preparations for all the non-powered heroes fighting against the Genma, Batman." Kyosuke spoke again as Accelous powered up beneath him. "The next incursion will be larger, and more powerful Genma _will_ come. Do _not_ wait." Batman nodded before Kyosuke drove off into the night.

XXXXXX

Kyosuke drove for a while, until he arrived at an abandoned marina dock. Leaving Accelous in motorcycle mode (and shielded), Kyosuke extended his ethereal senses outward, looking to see if anyone - especially Batman - had followed him. Sensing that he was in the clear, Kyosuke summoned the Oni Gauntlet once more, walked over to an empty building, touched its door, and suddenly vanished from sight!

Kyosuke now found himself in a modest apartment, the rendezvous point for himself and his ally. Walking in, he soon found his friend sitting on the floor by the couch, an empty six-pack of light beer and six empty bags of caramel-covered popcorn strewn out over the floor. Kyosuke smiled gently, as he looked over at the uncovered face of the Red Ghost, revealing him as Wally West, formerly known as the first one on the 'Team' to bear the title of Kid Flash.

Once believed to have died helping to stop the last of the Reach's doomsday devices, the Oni people had found him alive, trapped within a crystal tomb within the timestream itself five years ago. Kyosuke's mother, Lady Tenmara, had freed Wally from his stasis, and welcomed him into their world. Wally had lived those years as Kyosuke's adopted cousin, who had helped him master all of his superspeed abilities - as well as some new and very innovative ones, - while also helping him to craft his new identity as the Red Ghost, preparing him for his return to the human world.

Wally had been crying to himself, his eyes red and his nose runny, and Kyosuke knew full well why. "She was in my arms, Kyo... she was safe again,... with me... my spitfire... she's still _hurting_..." Wally trailed off as he began to sob anew into his hands. Kyosuke just sat down on the couch, and put a gentle hand on Wally's shoulder, letting him cry for his missing treasure.

"I know, Wally." Kyosuke said. "You'll be back with her soon; I promise you that."

* * *

Well, there is chapter four. Hope you all enjoyed it; now, to plan out what comes next... heh heh heh...


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